The Lying Game Season 3: Secrets, Lies and Betrayals
by CPO Backstreet
Summary: So, what did happen after Alec smashed through the roof? What's the deal with Thayer? Will Emma and Ethan find their way back to each other? Will Kristin ever find out about Emma? Will Laurel get anything to do? One possible answer to these questions. High T rating for sexual content but nothing explicit.
1. Episode 1 Chapter 1

**So, after the rather abrupt end to Season Two, I sat down and wondered what might happen next. And now that I believe the show is at least semi-officially cancelled, I thought I might as well share my attempt at a Season Three.**

**The plan is that I'll write ten episodes, each of which will be divided into three chapters. The three chapters will be posted on consecutive days, give or take a few hours, while the gap between episodes will be longer. Clear? Er...well, hopefully it will be.**

* * *

**EPISODE ONE:** I Know What You Did Last Season

**CHAPTER ONE**

Dan charged up onto the roof, a cadre of police officers right behind him, many of them with guns drawn. There had been plenty of them at Theresa's memorial after all. He saw the single figure standing next to the hole in the roof, and every gun in the party trained on her. "Don't move!"he bellowed.

He could see that it was Rebecca. She was shaking and stammering. "He jumped…I didn't do it…I threatened to expose him…he said he'd make sure they'd lock me up…I haven't done anything…"

Knowing that she probably killed Theresa, Dan's mind was fixed on the image of a bullet entering her head, the satisfaction of seeing her gone for good. But that wasn't the way he was supposed to do it. He knew that. "Don't move,"he repeated. He stepped behind her and cuffed her. "Rebecca Sewell, you're under arrest for the murders of Derek Rogers, Theresa Lopez…and Alec Rybak."

* * *

There was a large group of people outside. Many of them were feeling that they shouldn't be there and starting to drift away. Ted, Kristin, Sutton and Laurel were close to the ambulance as the body bag was loaded up. Alec had been pronounced dead at the scene.

Kristin looked at Ted. "I should get the girls home."

"Okay,"Ted said briefly. He paused awkwardly, feeling as though he should say more. "If you need anything…"

"Thank you." Kristin's answer was clipped, unemotional. He had a feeling she was doing her best not to show weakness in front of him. She glanced round at Sutton and Laurel. "I'll get the car."

Sutton moved closer to her father, talking in hushed tones. "What about Emma?"

"Not now,"Ted replied. Sutton started to protest and he shook his head firmly. "_Not now_. Your mum's got enough to think about tonight, we don't want to dump this on her as well. We'll figure it out another time."

A hush fell among the crowd. Sutton turned to see Rebecca being led to a car in handcuffs by Dan and two uniformed officers. Rebecca turned and locked eyes with Sutton. Sutton couldn't tell if her birth mother was accusing her or pleading for help. She looked away, not raising her eyes again until Rebecca was out of sight inside the car.

Ethan was behind her suddenly. "Someone should tell Emma,"he remarked.

"Well, you're usually best at that,"Sutton returned. She saw Ethan's uncomfortable look and rolled her eyes. "But if you think it's too much trouble…"

"Look, no promises,"Ethan insisted. "But…I'll see what I can do."

Laurel was looking around the group. "Where's Mads?"

Sutton looked around as well. Mads was nowhere in sight.

* * *

Emma sat alone in the cabin, the quiet sound of the television the only noise audible to her. She was getting used to the solitude and she was aware she might have to get used to it even more now. It was a wrench leaving the Mercer household but it was better than being in foster care and, given that half the town knew she was there, she wouldn't be short of visitors.

She wondered what was going on at the memorial. Had Ted told Kristin about her? Would Kristin want to meet her properly, or want her to leave town? What was happening with Ethan…Ethan, who, judging by his comments when she last saw him, would probably never want to see her again? She thought about Thayer as well: She hadn't wanted to leave him while he was upset yet something had told her it was the best thing to do, that he needed to be alone to process things.

The desperate knocking at the door startled her, made her wonder who it was. Did someone know about her? Was she now public knowledge? Or had something else happened?

She opened the door and found Mads standing there. Her friend's face was streaked with tears, yet still more were flowing down her face. Emma didn't think she'd ever seen anyone look so upset in her life. "Mads, what's wrong?"

Mads didn't say anything. She just collapsed into Emma's arms, sobbing desperately. Emma just held her there, offering comfort for whatever had left her like this.

* * *

Kristin stood in the middle of the lounge room as Sutton and Laurel entered the house after her. She'd barely said a word on the way home, whatever emotional shutdown she'd gone into clearly still ongoing. There was silence for several moments, then Kristin turned round to face the two girls. "You'd, ah, better go to bed, it's getting late."

Laurel looked like she was going to say something, then gave a murmur of assent and headed towards her room, Sutton just behind her. Once they were out of earshot, she paused. "Do you think one of us should talk to her?"

Sutton looked back at Kristin, who had sunk down into a chair. "She'll be fine,"she said dismissively.

"Emma would know what to do." Laurel looked at Sutton for a moment and then sighed in resignation. "I'll see you in the morning,"she decided, heading into her room.

Sutton looked at Kristin again in frustration. She had to be Emma now? Why had her twin sister set the bar so high? She took a deep breath and walked over to her mother, hovering near her chair. "If you want to do that talking thing…"

Kristin gave her a brief smile. "It's fine."

"Cos, I mean, Alec was your friend and you were pretty much on the verge of having an affair with him so…"

"Sutton, it's fine,"Kristin said firmly. "But thank you."

"Right. Okay." Sutton hesitated. "Love you." The words felt strange in her mouth, yet she had a feeling she meant them. She headed off to her room.

Behind her, Kristin buried her face in her hands and sobbed.


	2. Episode 1 Chapter 2

**Thank you for everyone who's jumped onboard with this story already, especially those who've reviewed or added it to their favourite or alerts list. While it would be nice to get an actual Season 3, it would kind of render this story redundant... At least I'll probably finish mine first.**

* * *

**CHAPTER TWO**

Emma had made two cups of hot chocolate and handed one to Mads. She was sitting on the sofa now, calmer and having managed to fill Emma in on most of the evening's key details. "Alec's really..?" Emma hesitated.

Mads nodded. "I think so. Your dad seemed pretty sure." She gave a deep sigh and looked close to tears again. "This is so messed up, Dad's dead and I'm…"

"And you're..?"Emma prompted.

"And I'm just so worried about Jordan,"Mads concluded. "Does that make me a horrible person?"

"No, it doesn't,"Emma reassured her. "It just means you care about him. Have you any idea what's happening?"

Mads shook her head. "The police took him away, I went back inside to get Dad and…I just saw him, lying there, your dad checking over him and saying it was no use…and then I ran." She gave her friend a weak smile. "I ran here."

Emma gripped her hand. "It's okay."

"They're the two most important men in my life, along with Thayer…" Mads stopped. "Oh god, Thayer, he doesn't know, someone should tell him…"

Emma hesitated. "It might be best to leave him for now."

"Why?"

"I…I was around there earlier, I told him that it was over between us and he…he got upset. I think he needs to be on his own for a while."

* * *

Thayer sat on the floor in the centre of his room, calm in the chaos about him. He would have to clear things up soon but for now he was taking a moment to gather his thoughts, to keep the anger at bay. He was glad Emma had left. He wouldn't have liked to get angry when she was there.

He heard the knock at his door and it brought his mind back into focus. His eyes fell on the rusted tool lying near his hand. "Just a minute!"he called, as he returned the tool to its hiding place. The state of the room he could explain but the tool might make people suspicious.

He opened the door, enough to see the person standing there but not enough so the person could see into the room. It was Ted. He looked awkward. "Thayer, there's something I need to tell you."

Thayer nodded. "Okay. Go on."

"Can I come in?"

"No,"Thayer replied sharply. If he could avoid Ted seeing the mess in his room, he would. "Just tell me."

Ted took a deep breath. "Your dad. Alec. He's dead."

"What?" Thayer's mind was racing. What had gone wrong? "How?"

"He fell through the roof at the club. The police have arrested Rebecca, they found her on the roof, they think she might have pushed him."

Thayer was struggling to make sense of it. It wasn't what Alec had told him would happen. He managed to latch onto a thought. "Mads. Where's she?"

Ted shrugged. "We don't know. She disappeared around the same time."

"I think I know where she is. I'll find her." Thayer left his room, pulling the door shut behind him.

* * *

Dan looked at Rebecca hard. "Let's go over this again…"

"No, let me make this simple for you,"Rebecca retorted. "I did not kill Derek. I did not kill Theresa. I did not kill Alec." She blinked away tears. "Please, I've told you what happened. Alec did all this to frame me…"

"So who did kill Derek and Theresa?"

"Alec."

"I've heard that story before. You two seem to be very good at blaming each other."

"I'm telling the truth! I told him I'd bring him down, prove I'd been framed. And he said he'd make sure I was put away even if it was the last thing he did. And then he jumped."

Dan looked at her. She seemed convincing. But then a lot of stories he'd heard recently had sounded convincing. He sighed and got up. "Interview suspended."

He headed out into the corridor where Ethan was sitting. His younger brother stood up. "What's going on?"

"She says she didn't do it."

"Do you believe her?"Ethan asked. Dan shrugged. "Well, what are you going to do?"

"Charge her. Let the DA sort it out once we've actually got a DA again." Dan looked at Ethan suspiciously. "That's not why you're here, is it?"

"Sutton asked me to go and see Emma, tell her what happened. But seeing how you feel about her…"

"Yeah but it's not about me, is it? It's about how you feel about her." Dan sighed. "You know, Theresa thought Sutton was good for you. Whether that means Sutton or Emma or some weird combination of the two, I don't know." He saw Ethan looking awkward and rolled his eyes. "Just go."

* * *

Ethan only had to knock once on the cabin door before Emma answered. "There's something I need to tell you,"he began. Then he looked past her and saw Mads sitting on the couch, favouring him with an ironic smile. "But I guess you already know."

"About Alec? Yeah." Emma ushered him in. "Not what we were expecting."

Ethan approached Mads. "How are you doing?"

Mads smiled. "I'm getting there." She gripped Emma's hand. "Emma's helped."

Ethan glanced at his ex-girlfriend. "Yeah, she does that."

There was another knock on the door. Emma raised an eyebrow. "Wow, suddenly I'm popular." She answered the door again to find Thayer standing there.

"Is Mads here?"he asked. Emma gave a nod of confirmation and gestured for him to come in. Thayer stopped when he saw that there was someone else there. "Ethan,"he noted, almost making it sound like a challenge.

Ethan gave a curt nod in response. "Thayer."

Thayer turned his attention to his sister. "Are you okay?"

Mads shrugged. "I really don't know."

Thayer helped her to her feet, putting his jacket round her shoulders. "Come on, I'll take you home. I'll stay the night with you, okay?" Mads nodded in agreement. He glanced at Emma. "Thanks for helping her." She gave him a brief smile in acknowledgement as he led Mads away.

Emma and Ethan were suddenly alone. Ethan gave an awkward cough. "So, anyway, I just wanted to let you know about Alec and Rebecca…"

"Woah, hold up, Rebecca?" Emma looked at him, bewildered. "What's she got to do with this?"

"You don't know?" It occurred to Ethan that Mads had left before Rebecca was brought out. "She's back in town. Dan found her on the roof right after Alec fell." He shrugged. "Guess that's three murders she's up for now." He walked out, leaving Emma with a shocked look on her face.


	3. Episode 1 Chapter 3

**Once again, I'm mildly overwhelmed by the number of people adding this to favourites or alerts, thanking you. So, on the historic day that the UK's next king but two was born (barring accidents, a rise of republicanism in the next fifty to seventy years and the fact that it's gone midnight), here's the last of the three chapters for Episode One. It'll be the weekend at least and possibly next week before I get around to posting Episode Two (I'm halfway through writing it at the moment), so hope you enjoy.**

* * *

**CHAPTER THREE**

Emma had only just got up when she had another visitor knocking on her door. This time it was Ted who was there when she answered it. He gave her a warm hug. "Hi, honey."

Emma smiled at him. "Hi, Dad."

"Sorry I didn't come round last night, I just…"

"It's okay. I had plenty of visitors."

Ted looked around the cabin. "I'm sorry you're still out here. I was going to tell Kristin last night. But then…"

"You had a pretty big distraction. I know."

"I'll tell her today…"

Emma shook her head. "She's got enough on her plate right now."

"Knowing about you might make it easier for her. Knowing she's got another daughter to support her."

"I'm not her daughter though, am I? I'm your daughter and I'm Rebecca's daughter but I'm not Kristin's. I'm just some girl that lived with her for a bit." Emma sighed. "Knowing that's not going to make her feel any better."

* * *

The guard showed Mads to the booth and then left her to it. Jordan stared at her through the glass. "Thanks for coming."

"Jordan, what's going on?"she asked. "What happened in LA? Did you kill your brother?"

Jordan hesitated. "Yes. Sort of."

Mads looked at him closely. Their relationship had been full of lies and deceptions yet none of that had stopped her loving him and she had a feeling he felt the same way. "Go on."

"It was…a car accident. I was driving. Philip was in the front, three other guys were in the back. It was late at night, we were on our way home, no-one else was on the road. Philip…Philip had taken stuff. He was off his head. He was being loud and messing about, distracting me. Then he grabbed the wheel. I tried to shake him off but I lost control, hit a barrier and we overturned. Me and the other guys just had cuts and bruises but Philip wasn't wearing his seatbelt. He got thrown clear. Broke his neck."

"But…they can't call that murder,"Mads protested.

"Maybe if they knew that was what happened. Rebecca paid the other guys off, got them to say Philip was driving."

Mads was even more confused. "Then you're in the clear?"

"Except now they've turned round and said that I deliberately crashed the car because Philip was getting on my nerves."

"Why would they do that?"

Jordan shrugged. "My guess? More money from Rebecca." He sighed. "She's determined to put me away."

* * *

Sutton and Laurel almost made it to the door before Kristin came out of her room. "Girls? Where are you going?"

The pair winced and turned round. "We…are…"Sutton attempted, holding onto each word as long as possible while she tried to think of the next one.

"…going to see Mads!"Laurel offered.

Sutton nodded. "Yes. That's where we're going."

"Oh." Kristin shrugged slightly. "Well, give her my best, will you?"

"Will do." Sutton and Laurel turned back to the door, exchanging pained looks.

* * *

Laurel looked hard at Ethan, who had somehow ended up at the cabin at the same time as her and Sutton. "So you're back in the team now?" Everyone looked at her and she shrugged. "Just thought I'd point that out."

"Do you really think Rebecca killed Alec?"Emma asked.

Sutton shrugged. "She can get pretty angry at times. She drove her car straight at me once."

"Yeah but we've all thought about doing that to you,"Laurel told her.

Sutton glared at her younger sister. "I can't believe it took me so long to realise we had the same genes. Your cutting wit has to have come from somewhere."

"But what if Rebecca did kill Alec?"Ethan persisted. "And Derek and Theresa? What does that mean?"

"Our birth mother's a murderer?"Sutton suggested.

"But other than that…that's it, isn't it? I mean, we'd know everything. All solved."

Emma sighed. "Apart from the fact that most of the world doesn't even know I exist."

* * *

Thayer sat down in the booth and looked through the glass. "Why did you want me to come here?"

Rebecca smiled thinly. "I want to tell you a story. The story of your life. I've finally figured it out. You were crazy about Sutton for a long time but the one time you got lucky with her she dropped you like a stone. Then you met Emma, the new improved version, and, like Ethan, you wanted to upgrade. Of course, like Sutton, Emma preferred Ethan. And you hated him for it. But then you hated Alec more, for making you feel like you were never worthy to be his son. So, that night at the body shop, you sat outside watching. You saw Ethan threaten Derek, then you saw Alec threaten Derek and this time you managed to take a photo. And you knew that if Derek was killed, one of them would be blamed. So you killed him. Ethan gets blamed and you see a way in with Emma, you help get him out of jail. You send me the photo and the murder weapon, knowing I'll use them against Alec. Would have worked too if Jordan had done what he'd been told. Then you get Emma to comfort you because of his arrest, get close to her. Only Theresa clears Alec and starts looking for the real killer. So you kill her too. And Alec figures it out and tells you to blame it all on me. So you steal that necklace I meant for Emma, knowing that Sutton would recognise it, and plant it at the scene where you killed her." She smiled again. "Am I close?"

Thayer looked hard at her for several long seconds. "What do you want?"he asked.

"Well…Alec's dead. I know that because I killed him. So if we work together, we can make sure he gets blamed for all of this. And then, the two of us will be free to do whatever we want."

* * *

**End of Episode One...**


	4. Episode 2 Chapter 1

**Wow, the favourites and follows have gone crazy since I finished the first episode and I even picked up another review. Thanks to everyone who's come onboard with this, hope you keep reading.**

* * *

**EPISODE TWO:** Unholy Alliance

**CHAPTER ONE**

Thayer's mind was whirring with contradictory thoughts as he arrived back at the Rybak house. He wasn't sure if he could trust Rebecca but then, unlike Alec, she hadn't seemed to ask him to. It was about their mutual interests. And if it stopped the police, and more importantly Emma, from finding out what he'd done, then it was a chance worth taking.

He was so caught up in his thoughts that he was taken aback to find Mads in the house. "Where have you been?"he asked her.

"I went to the police station,"she explained. "To see Jordan."

Thayer could vaguely remember, in the confusion of the previous night, Mads telling him that Jordan had been arrested. Somehow, that was Rebecca's fault as well. He felt it wise not to let Mads know where he'd been. "How is he?"

"They're sending him back to LA. I don't know what I can do for him, if Dad was here maybe he'd have some pull but…he's dead and even Rebecca can't help…" Mads shook her head in an effort to stop herself breaking down again. "Where have you been?"

"Clearing out my room,"Thayer replied. It was true, after all. No need to tell her he'd seen Rebecca first. "It was in a bit of a mess."

Mads seemed to register the holdall in his hand for the first time. "You're moving back in?" She said it suspiciously.

"If that's all right."

"What, because Dad's dead?"

"No…I just thought maybe you wouldn't want to be on your own."

Mads shook her head, dispelling the suspicious thoughts. "Yes, of course, you're right. Thank you." She gave him a hug. "Welcome home."

* * *

Emma was washing up cups, handing them to Ethan to dry. There was only the two of them left in the cabin, with Sutton and Laurel having decided it was probably a good idea if they actually did check on Mads, and not just because they'd told Kristin it was what they were doing. "You didn't have to stay,"she remarked. "I mean, it's not like we're planning on studying or anything."

"There was a time when we didn't need an excuse to hang out,"Ethan pointed out.

Emma had mostly been concentrating on the cups but now she stole a glance at Ethan. He was looking at her. The way he used to, the way that, after he'd blamed her for Theresa's death and the resulting hurt for Dan, she'd thought he never would again. She felt the butterflies in her stomach that she'd never really felt with anyone else. She handed him the last cup, felt his skin touch hers and wondered if he was going to kiss her.

"How are things with Dan?"she asked.

The question broke the mood and caused Ethan to look away for a moment. When he looked back, he was still friendly but the intensity of his gaze was gone. "Well, I'm not sleeping on Kristin's couch anymore, so that's a bonus. We're getting there. And he told me I could come here again so…"

"Even though he still think it's my fault Theresa's dead?"

"Theresa was dead before anyone even knew she was missing, the autopsy showed that. And Ted wasn't even involved. There's nothing we could have done to save her."

"No?" Emma shrugged. "It's still down to me, isn't it? I mean, she died because she knew about me and Sutton."

"We don't know that."

"Even though it was my mum that killed her?" Emma let the question hang in the air. "Whether it's true or not, as long as Dan thinks it's true…things aren't going to go back to the way they were, are they?"

Ethan held her gaze for a few moments longer, then he left without a word.

* * *

Dan was standing outside the trailer when Ethan drew up on his bike. Ethan avoided his gaze, hoping he could get into the trailer without having to have a conversation.

"Which one were you with?"Dan asked, instantly putting paid to that idea.

"Emma,"Ethan answered instantly. There had been enough lies between them in the last few months, another one really wasn't the way to go.

Dan nodded. "Thought so. You've got that look about you."

Ethan was confused. "What look?"

"The same look you had when you first got that motorbike. Whenever you went for a ride on it back then, you used to come back looking like, I dunno, like it was the only time you were allowed to be yourself." Dan gave a shrug, almost managing a smile. "Never thought I'd see the day when you met a girl who'd make you feel like that."

* * *

Sutton had made her excuses, claiming there was some errand she needed to run, so Laurel had ended up going home on her own. At least she'd managed to give Kristin a reliable report on how Mads was doing, preventing at least one lie from being rapidly exposed. The two of them were in the kitchen together when she looked round and saw someone unexpected standing in the doorway. "Dad!"she exclaimed in delight.

Kristin looked round at the exclamation, her reaction considerably less enthusiastic but not as cold as it had been recently. "Ted,"she greeted him. "Ah, if you wanted to know if we're all right…"

"That's part of it, yes,"Ted confirmed.

"Then we're fine…"

"But the other part is to tell you I'm not going to be staying at the club anymore."

"You're moving back in here?"Laurel asked hopefully.

Ted looked at her briefly, discomfited by the interjection, then turned back to Kristin. "A colleague's moving out of his flat and I'm taking over the lease. It's a decent size, two bedrooms. It's in a good place for work and to still see the girls, so it's fine."

"What?" Laurel looked at him in astonishment. "Why?"

Ted looked at her again. "Because…whatever's happened and is going to happen, I'm not coming back here." He looked at Kristin. "Am I?"

"Not in the immediate future,"Kristin admitted. "No."

Ted went over to Laurel. "This is for the best, okay? And you and Sutton and…anyone else can visit whenever you like." Laurel understood the silent invitation and nodded. He kissed her on the forehead and drew her into a hug. "It'll be all right."


	5. Episode 2 Chapter 2

**Well, a few more favourites and follows so thank you to those people...**

* * *

**CHAPTER TWO**

Sutton looked awkwardly through the glass at Rebecca. "Thanks for coming,"Rebecca greeted her.

"Well, you asked me to and I came,"Sutton answered, shifting uncomfortably in her seat.

Rebecca lowered her voice, as if afraid someone was listening in. "You have to get me out."

"I'm…not sure I do."

Rebecca's eyes widened in shock. "Sutton…you don't actually think I'm guilty, do you?"

"Well…you've given me plenty of reasons to think so."

"I'd never hurt Alec."

"You hate Alec. You hated him for taking me and Emma away, splitting us up, ruining your chances with Ted…"

"Sutton, I'm your mother!"

Sutton sighed. "No, you're not. I wanted you to be but…I've spent all my life wishing for a mother who loved me and cared for me and…it turns out I already had one. Kristin's been a mother to me, even when I made it as hard for her to love me as possible. You…you tried to turn me into you. And I thought that's what I wanted but it's not. I don't want to be like this anymore."

"I see." Rebecca pursed her lips. "Thank you for being honest with me."

Sutton felt even more awkward. "I wish it could have been different…"

"What, you wish I could have been more like Saint Kristin? I can't believe you've been taken in by her, you and Emma and Ted. Even after I showed you what she's really like..."

"You mean the fact that she considered giving me up when I was a baby?"Sutton asked. "Are you really going to try and claim the moral high ground on that one?"

Rebecca raised her voice. "Guard! I'm done here."

Sutton sighed, got up and walked out.

* * *

"Okay, I admit it, I'm an idiot,"Sutton sighed in response to the looks Emma, Ethan, Laurel, Mads and Thayer were all giving her.

Laurel shrugged. "I could have told you that."

"I just thought if I went to see Rebecca, then maybe I could get some answers."

"What did she say?"Emma asked.

Sutton shrugged. "Same as usual. She didn't do it, it's all Alec's fault, she really, really wants to be our mother if we just do a few tiny favours for her."

"Did she say if anyone else had visited her?"Thayer asked.

"Who'd want to do that?"Mads retorted.

"Ted?"Thayer suggested. The comment provoked an angry look from Laurel and he held up his hands. "Just putting it out there."

Emma shook her head. "I don't think he wants anything to do with Rebecca anymore."

"She certainly didn't say anything to me,"Sutton added. "And if it was me, I'd be trumpeting it from the rooftops. So fair bet she would too."

"But you are convinced that she's the killer?"Thayer asked.

"You're got someone else in mind?"Laurel retorted.

"She did say she thought it was Alec."

"So, instead of suggesting my dad you're suggesting yours? That's progress."

Ethan's attention had remained focused on another member of the group during the last few exchanges. "Mads? Is something up?"

The others looked at Mads too. She seemed distracted. "I'm sorry, it's just…I can't help thinking about Jordan."

"He's back in LA, isn't he?"Thayer asked.

Mads nodded. "I just…feel like I should do something to help him but there doesn't seem to be anything I can do."

"Maybe not here,"Laurel agreed. "But maybe you could if you were in LA?"

"I can't just drop everything and fly out there,"Mads protested.

"Yes you could,"Emma told her. "And I'll go with you."

Mads thought for a moment. "I've still got Dad's credit cards, I could get us some airline tickets pretty easily…"

"Woah, hold with the crazy talk,"Sutton protested. She looked at Emma. "We're meant to be coming up with a plan to introduce you to Kristin."

"But that's not going to happen any time soon,"Emma returned. "I can't do anything cooped up here, at least I can help Mads."

"I'll come too,"Ethan decided.

"No,"Emma told him. "Dan's going to need you here."

Ethan reluctantly accepted her words. "Well…then I'm driving you to the airport."

Mads nodded decisively. "Let's go."

* * *

In the end, both Ethan and Laurel accompanied Emma and Mads to the airport. Emma looked around anxiously as the four of them stood near the boarding gate, worried that someone she knew would see her. Sutton Mercer getting on a plane to LA while still living in the Mercer household might be a bit difficult to explain. Fortunately, there was no-one in sight.

Laurel gave both Emma and Mads a hug. "Keep in touch, okay? I want to know how you're getting on. And I want the two of you and Jordan back here as soon as possible."

"Do you even like Jordan?"Mads asked.

"Well…he might have messed me about a bit but he's still kind of cute."

Ethan looked awkwardly at Emma. "I guess I'll see you when you get back then."

"Yeah. Guess you will."

"Um, good luck with it all."

"Thanks." Emma paused, hoping he'd say more but instead he avoided her gaze. She sighed and turned towards Mads. "So, anyway…"

Ethan grabbed her hand, spun her towards him and kissed her. The kiss was restrained, given that they were in a public airport, but filled with intensity that she matched with her response. Finally, they released each other and she smiled slightly. "See you when you get back?"he asked.

"Definitely,"she responded. She and Mads headed through the gate, with no-one in the group able to erase the smiles from their faces.


	6. Episode 2 Chapter 3

**Got a blitz of reviews this morning so a big thank you to that person, feedback is always welcome. Fear not, I've never abandoned a story I've made public yet. (I was thinking the other day that it'd suck if I suddenly found I had a terminal illness and couldn't finish all the stories I'd planned. Guess that'd suck under any circumstances...) Thank you to anyone else who's following or favouriting this. This marks the end of Episode Two: I've got Episode Three written but I'll stick to posting them over the weekend, it'll give me a bit of leeway when writing the later episodes since I might not have as much writing time the next two weeks...**

* * *

**CHAPTER THREE**

Ethan hovered in the doorway as Laurel entered the house. "Right, so, I'll see you later then,"he attempted, hoping he could leave it at that and make his exit. Unfortunately, Laurel was far more tenacious than that.

"Woah, hold on, wait a minute,"she intervened. "You don't get to just do that and then disappear without any answers."

"Do what?"Ethan asked, playing innocent.

"You gave Emma a full on kiss in front of everyone! What was that about?"

Ethan attempted to come up with a suitable answer. Eventually, a smile played across his face. "It was… something I've wanted to do for a long time."

Laurel smiled as well. "So are you two back together?"

"I don't know. If she wants to be."

Laurel nodded. "About time too." She headed towards her room.

Ethan took that as his cue to leave. But before he could do so, another voice cut in. "So, was it good?"

He looked round to find Sutton standing in the dining area, arms folded, an amused look on her face. At least it wasn't an angry look, which is what he'd got used to from her. "Yeah, it was,"he confirmed.

"Well, you could probably get better from me but that's not really what matters, is it? At least we can be sure it's her personality you love."

Ethan looked at her cautiously. "So…you're okay with it?"

"I guess I have to be, don't I? I mean, I could try and split you up, tell lies to you both, play the old twin card and confuse everyone but I tried that and it didn't work. And it's not going to make you suddenly fall in love with me, is it?"

"It's just I'm kind of used to you…" Ethan struggled for the correct phrase.

"Playing games?"Sutton suggested. "Yeah, maybe. But I've seen where that got Rebecca…and Alec. I don't really want to end up like that. Maybe if I start using the right people as role models, well, someone might feel about me the way you do about Emma."

Ethan felt a pang of sympathy for her, forever searching for what she wanted in the wrong places. "I did want it to work between us, you know. Once."

"And the worst thing of all is I knew that and I still stuffed it up." Sutton held out a hand awkwardly. "Do you think we could manage to be friends?"

Ethan ignored the offered hand and hugged her instead. "I think we could manage that."

* * *

Emma and Mads had touched on the subject of the kiss during the hour long flight but had quickly become aware that they had other things to worry about. They'd caught a taxi to the prison where Jordan was being held and identified themselves to the guards. Emma had given them her real name. She'd realised with a start that it was the first time in months that she'd introduced herself to a stranger as Emma Becker rather than Sutton Mercer.

Once he was sat opposite them, Jordan shot a glance in Emma's direction. "Thanks for coming."

"Well, I'm mostly here for Mads,"Emma admitted. "But I'll help any way I can."

"How are you managing?"Mads asked.

"Well, I've been introduced to the concept of court appointed lawyers, since no-one's willing to pay my legal fees this time."

"I can try and find someone,"Mads suggested.

Jordan shook his head. "That's not the problem. It's the witnesses. My lawyer's been trying to talk to them, to discuss what happened, but he gets stonewalled at every turn. They just say they'll say what happened in court."

"Why would they do that?"Emma wondered.

"At a guess, Rebecca's instructions."

"Maybe we can talk to them?"Mads suggested.

"You can try. Not sure how much good it'll do though."

* * *

Thayer had answered the summons to the prison without question. It seemed to be his new role in life, to be at Rebecca's beck and call. He wasn't sure if he liked it but at the moment it seemed like a necessary evil. "What do you want?"he asked, not even attempting pleasantries.

Rebecca was straight down to business as well. "I got a message from LA. Seems Mads has turned up there. And she had a friend with her."

"Emma,"Thayer confirmed.

"Trying to get Jordan out of jail no doubt." Rebecca thought the matter over. "I want you to go and help them."

The instruction surprised Thayer. "You mean…pretend to help them?"

"No, I mean actually help them." Rebecca saw his confusion. "It doesn't really matter if Jordan goes to jail or not. It's annoying that he's not helping me anymore but he's not the important thing here. The important thing is that he could be our way back in." She could see that Thayer still didn't understand. "Emma and Mads, even Sutton, they'd be happy if Jordan got out of jail, right?"

"Right,"Thayer confirmed.

"So if we're the ones that make it happen, then in the eyes of your friends we'll be heroes. And it's a lot easier to get what you want when everyone thinks you're on their side."

* * *

**End of Episode Two**


	7. Episode 3 Chapter 1

**Thank you for the review and thank you to anyone who's added this to favourite or follow! I admit to being somewhat surprised by the comparative lack of Emma/Ethan fics on her. I never really saw her and Thayer even before his dark side emerged, she only seemed to look at him as a friend, which given the way the relationship went was probably the idea. Anyway, regardless of people's opinions on the characters, I hope you enjoy this.**

* * *

**EPISODE THREE:** Escape From LA

**CHAPTER ONE**

Emma and Mads waited inside the terminal until Thayer came through the departure gate. "Thayer, what's all this about?"Mads asked.

Thayer had been thinking ever since he left the prison about the best way to broach the subject. The last thing he needed was to get them offside. "I spoke with Rebecca."

He saw both of them tense up instantly. "What? Why?"Emma asked.

Thayer decided to gloss over the question of what he was doing there. Hopefully, the information he had for them would be enough to stop them pressing the point. "She's given me the names and addresses of the people who were in the car with Jordan."

"Jordan's legal team have been trying to talk to them,"Mads argued. "They won't see anyone."

"They'll see us. Rebecca's name could open a few doors around here."

"Why's she trying to help?"Emma asked. "She's the one who got Jordan arrested in the first place."

Thayer shrugged. "Maybe being in jail's made her realise she doesn't want the same to happen to Jordan."

"She kind of deserves to be in jail,"Emma argued.

"We don't know she's guilty yet,"Thayer replied, carrying on before the two girls could argue. "The important thing right now is Jordan, okay? Let's get this sorted."

* * *

Laurel was running around the flat like an excited child at Christmas, looking in all the rooms. "Oh my god, there's two bedrooms! I have got to have a sleep over."

Ted had a feeling that making promises might not be the best idea. "We'll have to see what your mother says."

Sutton's reaction to his new home was rather more sedate. "Are you sure you're going to have enough room for everything?"

"It's bigger than my room at the club,"Ted pointed out.

Sutton conceeded the point with a shrug. "I guess slumming it is what you get for having one daughter grow up thinking she isn't your daughter and another one grow up not knowing you exist."

Ted shifted awkwardly. "How is Emma?"

"She's in LA."

"Hey, maybe she could have the other room when she gets back?"Laurel suggested. "Beats that cabin."

"Not exactly lying low,"Sutton pointed out. "Unless you want people to start wondering how I'm managing to live with both my parents at the same time."

"Look, I know you want the situation with Emma to get sorted out,"Ted noted. "We all do. But at the moment it's very complicated."

"Is there ever going to be a good time to break the news?"Laurel asked.

Sutton looked at her younger sister, unable to argue with the insight. "I guess not."

* * *

Emma, Mads and Thayer stood on the doorstep, waiting for an answer to their ringing. "He's not going to talk to us,"Mads insisted.

"He will,"Thayer replied with equal certainty.

At that moment, the door swung open to reveal a shifty looking young man who appeared to be somewhere in his late teens or early twenties. "Yeah?"

"Eric Stevens?"Emma asked.

Eric looked at them suspiciously. "Who's asking?"

"Rebecca Sewell sent us,"Thayer explained.

Eric stepped aside. "Better come in then."

The trio found themselves in what seemed to be a typical bachelor pad, with clothes and various half-eaten takeaways strewn everywhere. Emma and Mads both did their best to ignore the mess. "We need you to tell the truth in court,"Emma explained.

"I already am telling the truth,"Eric replied. "Philip was getting on Jordan's nerves, Jordan said if he didn't shut up he'd kill him, turns out he meant it. That's the truth Rebecca told me to tell."

"The _real_ truth,"Mads amended.

"And why should I do that?"

"Rebecca's giving you the money after you've testified, right?"Thayer asked. Eric nodded uncertainly. "Well, if you don't tell the court what actually happened, you won't get a cent."

Eric looked at him dubiously. "I don't believe you."

Thayer shrugged. "Fine. Ring her and ask her. Then maybe you'll agree to do the right thing. Unless you don't need the cash?"

* * *

Rebecca looked at her latest visitor and raised an eyebrow. "Well, this is unexpected."

Kristin shifted awkwardly. "It came as a surprise to me too."

"So, what can I do for you?"

"You can tell me the truth."

Rebecca's expression was cold and unreadable. "About what?"

"Did you kill Alec? And the others?"

"I guess you'll find out when the jury make their decision."

Kristin shook her head. "That's not the important thing though, is it? There's more going on than that."

"What do you mean?"

"There's some secret that you and Ted are keeping. There are times when I think he's going to tell me but he never does. Even the girls are acting secretive. It's like…it's like there's this big secret that everyone is on but me."

Rebecca smiled. "Poor Kristin. Always the innocent. Do you remember what it felt like when you found out I'd had an affair with Ted?"

Kristin tensed up. "Yes."

"Well, when you get the full story, that'll be nothing." Rebecca got up and went to knock on the door to be taken back to her cell.

Kristin stood up, staring through the glass at her angrily. "What is going on? I want to know!"

Rebecca walked back over, meeting her gaze. "Uh-uh. Not yet. All in good time."


	8. Episode 3 Chapter 2

**CHAPTER TWO**

Emma, Mads and Thayer sat a few rows back in the public gallery. Jordan was sat with his solicitor; Mads had given him what she hoped was a reassuring smile when he entered. He'd smiled back, which was probably a good sign. His solicitor was in the process of quizzing Eric on the witness stand. "You were present in the car with the defendant and his brother on the night that Philip Lyle was killed?"

"That's right."

"Who was driving the car?"

"Jordan."

"Where was Philip?"

"He was up front with him. He'd been smoking weed, he was off his head. Was all over the car, making noises, leaning out the window. He was distracting Jordan."

"Why did the car crash?"

Emma felt Mads tense next to her. This was the important part, where they'd know if Eric had agreed to tell the truth or not.

"Philip grabbed the wheel,"Eric stated. "Jordan couldn't control it. It wasn't his fault, it was Philip's."

Jordan's solicitor nodded. "No further questions."

The prosecutor stood up. "Mr. Stevens. This is not what you said in your statement to the police at the time of the accident, is it?"

"No. I said Philip was driving."

"Why was that?"

"Jordan's stepmum paid us to lie. Didn't want him getting into trouble."

"You recently went to the police and made a further statement which also does not tally with your evidence today. I have it here, People's Exhibit C. In it you state that Jordan crashed the car deliberately, without any action from any passenger, in order to kill his brother in retaliation for his inebriated behaviour. Is there a reason you said that?"

"Jordan's stepmum, Rebecca, she'd tried to blackmail him over getting him off the hook. Didn't work so she paid us to say he killed Philip."

"And now you have told a third version of events. Why should we believe that?"

Eric shrugged. "'Cos it's the truth."

The prosecutor sighed. "No further questions."

The defence solicitor held up a file. "I have here the autopsy report on Philip Lyle which I would like to enter as Defence Exhibit B. It confirms the presence of narcotics in his body at the time of his death. It also notes abrasions on his hands consistent with his having wrestled with the steering wheel of a car immediately before his death. The pathologist who conducted the autopsy, Doctor Wrenger, is in the court today"-he gestured to a moustached man at the back of the gallery who nodded in confirmation-"and is willing to testify as to its accuracy."

The judge nodded to a bailiff who took the film from the solicitor. "So noted."

* * *

Emma, Mads and Thayer were waiting on the steps outside the court house when Jordan came bounding down. He grabbed Mads in a tight hug, huge smiles on both their faces, then released her. "Not guilty!"she exclaimed in delight.

"All thanks to you,"he told her. He looked at Emma and Thayer. "And you two as well."

"Got to give Rebecca some of the credit,"Thayer pointed out. "We'd have been lost without her help."

"Yeah, if you overlook the fact she was the one that put me in there in the first place."

"I really think she's trying to make up for that."

"Well, we don't have to worry about that now,"Emma cut in. "The point is you're here, with us."

Jordan nodded. "Yeah, I really didn't think that was going to happen until Eric and the others backed me up."

"So what are you going to do now?"Mads asked. "Do you want to stick around here or see your dad..?"

"He didn't bother to show up today, did he?"Jordan replied. "He's pretty much disowned me, I've pretty much disowned him. There's no-one here I'd call family."

"Back to Scottsdale then?"Mads asked hopefully.

Jordan put his arm round her shoulder and kissed her on the top of the head. "Sounds like a plan."

* * *

Ethan was looking out over the desert from his position outside the trailer. He was supposed to be concentrating on the schoolbooks laid out in front of him but somehow his mind kept going to other places. Most of them involved that kiss with Emma and tortured doubts about what it meant to her or to him. As if just thinking about her established the connection, his phone chirped to inform him he had a new message.

Dan appeared in the doorway of the trailer and looked at him quizzically. "It's Emma,"Ethan confirmed. "Jordan was found not guilty. They're all on their way back."

Dan nodded. "Well, that's good, I guess."

"Laurel was talking about organising a surprise gathering at the cabin to welcome them back."

"So why are you still here then?"

Ethan shrugged, trying to hide just how much he wanted to see her again. "I don't have to…"

"Is this because of what I said?"

Ethan looked at his brother. "Well, you did say I had to choose between you…"

Dan sighed and sat down at the table opposite him. "Ethan…do you know the thing I regret most about Theresa? Time. We could have had years together, we could have got married straight out of high school. But I let myself concentrate on things that weren't important, on…on obligations I felt I had, when I should have made her my priority. I said a lot of things to you that I shouldn't have when I found out about Emma. Now, I still haven't got it exactly straight in my head which twin was which but I know you've been the happiest I've ever seen you when she was around. So, don't make my mistakes. Don't waste a second of the time you could be spending with her." Ethan stared at him in shock for a long time. "Go,"Dan told him, just in case he hadn't made it clear.

Ethan grinned and ran off.

* * *

"I don't know why you're all coming back here,"Emma protested as Mads led the four of them to the cabin.

"Well, you can't exactly come with us, what with you being in hiding and all,"Mads pointed out. "So we had to do it here."

"Do what?"Emma asked, confused, as Mads opened the door.

"Surprise!"shouted Sutton, Laurel, Ted and Ethan as they all stepped inside.

There was a hubbub of greetings and congratulations. Ethan gave Emma a kiss on the cheek and hugged Mads before shaking hands with Jordan. "Good to see you back, man."

"Yeah, bit of a relief for me too,"Jordan admitted.

Laurel hugged Emma, Mads and Thayer and gave Jordan a friendly punch on the shoulder. Even Sutton lowered herself to giving Emma and Mads welcome hugs. Ted wrapped Emma up into a warm hug. "Welcome back, sweetie."

"Thanks, Dad,"she replied, still not quite over the fact she could call him that as herself. As he released her, she looked back at Ethan, saw the warm if understated smile on his face and the love in his eyes, and smiled happily. Now she knew there was one more reason for her to stay.


	9. Episode 3 Chapter 3

**Wow, well, I got another load of reviews today. So a big thank you to those people. As for requests...well, one character that's been mentioned will be making an appearance but not for some time. I think the show really moved too far away from the Annie Hobbes plot for me to revisit it in any detail but I may touch upon it at some point. And there's something in this chapter that people may have been eagerly anticipating...**

* * *

**CHAPTER THREE**

The group had stayed for a long time but now they were starting to file out into the night outside. All of them exchanged hugs with Emma, with Laurel holding her the longest. "I'll see you tomorrow,"she told her older sister.

"See you soon,"Emma agreed. "Love you."

"Love you too." Laurel glanced at Ethan, who had noticeably hung back from the exchange of hugs. He stared back at her, as if issuing a challenge. She smiled knowingly and joined the others outside. Emma closed the door behind her.

Laurel turned to look at Thayer, who was staring at the closed door moodily. "You all right?"

Thayer seemed to suddenly remember where he was, quickly covering up any outward sign of what he'd been thinking about. "Yeah, of course." He turned to Mads and Jordan. "Come on, you two, I'll drive you home."

Only Sutton, Laurel and Ted were left outside the cabin. "So, that's it, we just leave her here?"Sutton asked.

"I think she's comfortable for the moment,"Laurel remarked.

"Yeah, she's got Ethan to give her a seeing to, big whoop. What about tomorrow? And the next day? How long are we going to have her here and me dealing with people that are used to me being her?"

"I know it's difficult, honey,"Ted said gently. "But we have to build up to this."

"But we don't seem to be building up to anything!" Sutton took a deep breath. "When I got in touch with Emma, it was because I wanted us to be a family. But every time that's close to happening, we just seem to end up further and further away."

* * *

Thayer led Mads and Jordan into the house. "Welcome to the Rybak residence, I'm sure you know your way around. Plenty of spare bedrooms, if you need them that is." He watched the pair shift uncomfortably for a second then headed for the stairs. "I'm going to bed."

Mads and Jordan stood alone in the centre of the living room. "Are you okay staying here for a bit?" Mads asked.

"Well, it doesn't have the best of associations,"Jordan admitted. "But at least I haven't got Rebecca or Alec trying to drag me into their agendas." He checked himself. "Sorry, I know he was your dad…"

"It's okay, I know he wasn't perfect. But I do believe he was trying to do what he thought was best for us. I miss him." Mads lowered her gaze slightly then looked back up at him, a smile on her face. "So, we've got the whole house to ourselves, apart from my considerately discreet brother. What do you want to do?"

Jordan ran a hand gently through her hair. "An awful lot,"he answered. He kissed her softly but with a depth of feeling she'd rarely felt. Mads giggled slightly and smiled, then took his hand.

"Let me show you my room,"she suggested, leading him upstairs.

* * *

Emma and Ethan sat kissing on the couch. There had been no discussion, no debate. Both of them knew that it was what they wanted. They drank in the feel of each other's bodies that they had been starved of for what seemed like an eternity. Then Emma pulled back. "Dan will be wondering where you are."

Ethan shook his head. "Dan knows where I am."

Emma was surprised. "And he's okay with it?"

"He's a smart guy. He figured…he figured that I loved you too much to let you go. Guess he's smarter than me. I've said and done a lot of things…"

"We both have. I tried to convince myself that I didn't love you but…it's you, Ethan. It was always you. At least, it always should have been."

"Well, I guess at least we know now what we want."

"We do." Emma resumed kissing him, pulling him to his feet as she did so.

Ethan caught the implication of the action. He halted the kiss, staring at her. "Are you sure?"

Emma nodded. "I'm ready. I've been ready for a long time."

They recommenced kissing, their hands roaming about each other's bodies, removing each other's clothes and feeling the ecstatic touch of bare skin as they headed into the bedroom.

* * *

Sutton heard the sound of the front door and took a deep breath. She was about to do the craziest and possibly the bravest thing she'd ever done in her life, which was saying something given that doing crazy and brave things was pretty much the only way she'd ever found to occupy her time. She headed through into the living area. "Mum?"she called out.

Kristin turned at the call from her eldest daughter. "Sutton, hi. I wasn't expecting you to still be up."

"I need to talk to you."

Kristin's face was instantly one of concern. "Of course, what's the matter?"

"I need to tell you something. It's something you might not like, that might make you think even worse about Dad than you already do and might even make you think bad of me. But you need to know. It's not fair on you or her."

"Sutton, you're not making sense. Fair on who?"

"On Emma. I need to tell you about Emma."

Kirstin looked throughly confused. "Who's Emma?"

Sutton braced herself. This next sentence was the killer. After that, there was no going back. "She's my sister, Mum. She's my twin sister. And she's been living in this house for most of the past six months."

* * *

**End of Episode Three**


	10. Episode 4 Chapter 1

**Well, that last chapter certainly seemed to get people's attention. Thank you for all the reviews and to everyone who added this story to their lists. Hopefully this won't disappoint...**

* * *

**EPISODE FOUR:** The Truth Game

**CHAPTER ONE**

Ethan and Emma were cuddled up on the sofa. Both of them were wearing nothing apart from their underwear. Ethan kissed Emma on the top of the head. "Any regrets?"

"Not about doing that,"Emma replied. "I just wish…I wish that had been my first time instead of just our first time." She looked at Ethan with sorrowful brown eyes. "I'm sorry I slept with Thayer."

Ethan shrugged. "I'm sorry I slept with Sutton. Don't suppose either of us made pretty good choices."

"Maybe we needed to do all that to get here. To be sure. Because…there's no comparison. What we just did. Being with someone you love."

Ethan nodded. "I've never experienced anything like it. I love you, Emma."

"I love you too."

They kissed, feeling the tender embrace of each other's bodies, surrendering to their desires. The embrace continued as they clambered to their feet, heading back into the bedroom.

* * *

Kristin sat with Sutton at the table, where Sutton had been stumbling over an explanation of everything she'd found out in the past six months. Kristin was coming across as more and more shell-shocked as the revelations tumbled out. "Ted is your biological father? Ted…and Rebecca?"

Sutton nodded. "He knew about me but he didn't know about Emma. Not until recently anyway. Rebecca told Alec she was pregnant and asked him to get us adopted, Alec told Dad but didn't tell him it was twins, he gave me to you two and Emma to another couple. Then that went wrong and she ended up in foster care."

Kristin struggled to catch up. "And…Emma's been living here?"

"We swapped over just after we came back from Paris. It was only meant to be for a couple of days but things kind of spiralled out of control. I came back on my birthday, I ran into you here." Sutton could see Kristin's mind going back to that day, the way Sutton had pushed her away after months of Emma accepting her affection gratefully. She carried on quickly. "I've been in town pretty much every since, except for when Ethan was on the run and I was with him. The first time we swapped back was at the junior ballet fundraiser, I stuck around for the black and white ball. It was me at family counselling and at Dad's award ceremony. Then we swapped back the night Alec died and it's been me ever since."

Kristin made an attempt to piece together all the changes before giving up. "Who knows about this?"

"Well, Dad and Laurel. And Ethan. And Mads and Thayer. And Jordan." Sutton thought for a moment. "And Dan."

There was another long pause as Kristin took in the information before she asked the most important question of all. "And where's Emma now?"

* * *

Emma and Ethan had finally managed to get dressed as they exited the bedroom. "I wish you didn't have to go,"Emma sighed.

"Me too,"Ethan admitted. "But…Dan's kind of expecting me back and I don't want to push it when he finally seems to be accepting us."

"Am I going to see you again soon?"

"Soon as I possibly can." Ethan kissed her and she wrapped her arms around him in a passionate embrace.

Only to release him rapidly as the outside door opened. Emma whirled round to find Kristin standing there. "Mum!"she exclaimed, her brain struggling to process the turn of events. Kristin would think she was Sutton. Where was Sutton, could her presence here be explained? And what about Ethan, would they have to pretend he and Sutton were back together? But Kristin's next word shattered all those thoughts in a second.

"Emma?"

Emma's heart seemed to skip a beat. It was the first time Kristin had ever used her name. She knew. Kristin knew. Emma didn't know how or why but it had finally happened. Kristin knew she existed. "Kristin,"she answered.

Kristin looked awkward. "I think I preferred it when you called me 'Mum'."

Ethan had a sudden strong feeling of being an intruder. "I'll leave you to it,"he offered. He gave Emma a quick kiss. "Call me if you need me."

Emma waited until he'd gone before looking back at Kristin. "How do you know?"

"Sutton told me."

Emma was surprised and perhaps a bit pleased. After months of wanting her out of sight, Sutton had finally acknowledged she existed to someone. "What did she say?"

"Everything. Or everything I could take in at once anyway. I know that Ted's your father. I know that Rebecca's your mother. I know that…that I've loved you like a daughter. That I've held you when you were upset, that I've felt happy when you were happy, shared your pain, had you comfort me in turn. I thought you were my daughter."

Emma felt wretched. "Kristin, I'm sorry. I so wanted you to be my mother, I've never known what it was like to have a mother before and you were everything I wanted, kind and loving and nurturing. I never meant to hurt you, that was the last thing I'd ever want to do."

Kristin was silent for a long while. When she finally spoke, her voice was level, as if she was holding back from expressing any emotion. "Do you have any belongings here?"

Emma hadn't expected the question. "A few."

Kristin nodded. "Pack them."

Emma felt like her heart had been torn out of her chest. "You want me to leave?"

"I want you to come home." Emma's hopes, dashed a moment previous, suddenly soared. Kristin didn't smile. "Emma, I'm new to all this and I don't pretend to understand any of it. But you should be with your sisters. Come on, you're coming home with me."


	11. Episode 4 Chapter 2

**Wow, got another glut of reviews for that last one so thank you, everyone! Hope you like this.**

* * *

**CHAPTER TWO**

Emma woke up in unfamiliar surroundings. Every other time she'd slept in the Mercer house, it had been in Sutton's room. This time, she woke up on the sofa, a quilt draped over her, the holdall containing the few belongings and items of clothing that were actually hers rather than borrowed from Sutton on the floor next to her makeshift bed. And she smiled. She had spent the night in the Mercer house. Not as a fake version of Sutton but as herself, Emma Becker.

"Well, look at you!" Emma turned at the voice and saw Laurel coming out of her room. The younger girl came over and perched on the arm of a chair near the sofa. "What are you doing here?"

Emma couldn't keep the delight out of her voice. "Kristin…invited me."

"She knows about you?"Laurel asked in amazement.

"Sutton told her."

Laurel raised an eyebrow and nodded approvingly. "Way to go, Sutton."

Kristin emerged from her own room and took in the scene. "Laurel. As you can see, we have a new house guest. I believe you already know each other."

Laurel felt suddenly guilty. "Mum, I'm sorry, I know I should have told you but there was so much else going on…"

"It's okay, I understand. Or at least, I accept some of the pressure you were under. Emma, what do you like for breakfast?" Emma looked down awkwardly and Kristin realised why. "Of course, yes. What you've had every other time you've stayed here. Well, I'll see what I can find for us." She headed off in the direction of the kitchen.

"Awkward,"Laurel remarked.

Emma sighed. "Guess that's how it's gonna be for a while."

At that moment, it was Sutton's turn to appear from the direction of her room. Emma and Laurel ran over to her and Emma grabbed her in a tight hug. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

Sutton wriggled free from her grasp. "Okay, no reason to go overboard. I just figured Mum and Laurel already like you better than me, so if you're here I don't have to be nice to them."

Laurel hugged her in turn. "Sorry, sis, but we still like you."

As Laurel released her, Sutton looked at them both, smiling at her, and found she couldn't help smiling herself. "Okay, I can live with that."

* * *

Ted was surprised at the early morning knock on the door. He'd planned to drop by the cabin before breakfast and check on Emma, then he was supposed to be meeting Sutton and Laurel for lunch. Was one of his colleagues paying a visit? The answer was far more surprising when he opened the door to reveal his estranged wife. "Kristin! Come in. It's good to see you. Ah, can I get you anything?"

Kristin's expression suggested she wasn't there to exchange pleasantries. "I've just left your daughter at home. Your daughter Emma."

Ted froze, his mind realising just how much Kristin must have found out. Even though he was glad that Emma didn't have to be a secret any longer, he had been dreading the moment when the lie he'd lived for seventeen years was finally brought to life. "Honey, I swear I only just found out about her myself…"

Kristin scoffed. "Ted, the fact that Sutton left some girl in our house and neither of us noticed is the least important thing here. More important is the fact that you tricked me into raising yours and Rebecca's love child as my daughter."

Ted struggled to explain. "Kristin, you know what things were like back then. I didn't know we'd have Laurel. I thought Sutton was the only child I was ever going to have. I couldn't bear the thought of her growing up with some stranger, never seeing her. And I couldn't bear the thought of losing you. Convincing you to adopt her, not letting you know who she was, seemed the best option. Think of all those years with Sutton, all the happiness she's brought us. Would that have happened if you'd known who she was?"

"You think the happy ending makes it all right? The fact that I've spent the last seventeen years living a lie? I've got news for you, Ted, this is not a happy ending."

"But you know everything now. No more secrets, no more lies. We could have an honest marriage at last. We don't have to get divorced."

"Oh yes we do, Ted,"Kristin replied as she headed towards the door. "Now more than ever."

* * *

There hadn't been that many teen gatherings at the Whitehorses' trailer over the years. For a start, the few friends Ethan had had were the kind he didn't want Dan knowing about. So Dan was finding it surprisingly refreshing to be flipping meat on a barbeque while Sutton, Laurel, Mads, Jordan and Thayer milled around. Despite a few rough edges and unfortunate incidents in their pasts, he felt that they were all basically decent kids.

"Thanks for letting us do this!"Laurel called to him.

Dan shrugged. "Hey, well, it's Emma's official coming out party. Ethan was pretty keen on it." He made a quick visual check that all of the teens were drinking from soda cans. "But remember, anyone who touches the beer in the fridge gets arrested."

Sutton was sipping away at what seemed to be bottled water, having brought a straw along specially. "With the amount of calories in that stuff? Only if I lost the will to look good."

"Oh, is that why you never came round here? You were afraid my food would make you fat?"

"I've come round here,"Sutton protested. "It wasn't Emma every time. And in the spirit of solidarity and reconciliation, I'll even lower myself to having one of those…steaks."

Dan placed the biggest piece he could find on a plate and handed it to her. "Great to have you as a guest."

Mads, Jordan and Thayer were huddled in a group. "So what are you planning to do with yourself now you're a free man?"Thayer asked.

"I've got a few plans,"Jordan answered enigmatically. "I'll let you know when they're concrete."

"I think Rebecca was hoping you'd drop by and see her."

"That's not something I was planning to do."

"I'm glad she helped us get Jordan out and all,"Mads interjected,"but it's going to take a lot more than that to make me forget what she did to Dad."

"Hey, they're coming!"Laurel shouted, jumping up and down excitedly.

Ethan drew up on his motorbike, Emma riding pillion behind him. He pulled to a halt a few feet away from the group, helping Emma dismount and holding her hand as they both approached Dan. "Dan, I'd like you to meet Emma. Officially."

Emma held out her hand. "Hi. Thanks for having me over."

Dan nodded and accepted the hand briefly. "Well, I'm still not entirely sure what was you and what was Sutton but this one seems to like having you around so that's a good thing. Steak?"

Emma smiled. "Oh, please. And could I have one of those energy drinks?"

Dan looked between Emma and Sutton, an amused smile on his face. "Well, I don't think I'm going to have any trouble telling you two apart."


	12. Episode 4 Chapter 3

**Thank you for the reviews! As for scariness...there'll be some eventually but the next few chapters have most of the plotting going on in secret.**

* * *

**CHAPTER THREE**

It was getting dark and Mads, Thayer and Jordan had left already. Only the three Mercer girls remained with the two Whitehorse males outside the trailer. Ethan nudged Emma who cleared her throat. "Thanks for having me round, Dan, but we need to get off."

Dan had a feeling he knew what the pair had in mind but couldn't resist winding them up. "You need a lift somewhere?"

Ethan put an arm round Emma's shoulder. "We kind of had plans. Don't wait up."

Emma turned to Sutton and Laurel. "Can you tell Kristin I won't be back tonight?"

Sutton sighed theatrically. "I don't know, I go to all this trouble to get you to stay and you're skipping out on us right away."

"It's pretty shabby,"Laurel agreed, smiling.

Emma surprised Sutton by giving her a hug. "I'm really glad you're my sister."

Sutton managed a smile in response. "So you should be."

Ethan helped Emma onto the bike and they rode off.

Dan moved closer to Sutton, out of earshot of Laurel who was busy gathering her things. "You still like him, huh?"

Sutton sighed. "You know that thing about how if you love someone enough you let them go?"

"Yeah."

"I've never got that." Sutton turned to her younger sister. "Hey, Laurel!"

Laurel looked up. "Yeah?"

Sutton tossed her her car keys. "Since you're the sister that hasn't deserted me, you can drive."

* * *

Jordan and Mads stood in the living area of the Rybak house, kissing softly but intensely. Mads leaned out of the kiss slowly, putting her arms round his neck. "So, are we going to take this upstairs?"

"Yeah." Jordan disentangled himself slightly. "But first there's something I need to ask you." He led her over to the couch and sat her down, then crouched in front of her.

Mads looked at him, suddenly worried. "You're not going to propose, are you? Because it is way too soon and we are way too young for that."

"I'm not,"Jordan assured her. "But it is kind of the next step. Before that one."

Mads was confused. "What do you mean?"

Jordan took a deep breath. "I want us to get a place of our own."

Mads' eyes widened in surprise. "Okay, I wasn't expecting that."

"It's just…this place, us living here together, it didn't really start out the way it should. There was your dad and Rebecca and all sorts of game playing going on, and it kind of feels like we need to have a fresh start. Something that's about you and me, not them. Where it doesn't feel like we've got a load of ghosts looking over our shoulders."

"What about Thayer?"

"I don't know, he's lived on his own before and he only moved back in with you because he was worried about you being on your own after your dad died…If he's okay with it, would you be?"

Mads thought for a moment. The idea was exciting but she was still having trouble getting her head around it. "Can we afford it?"

"Well, the money you've got from your dad can cover the bond. And I was talking to Ethan, he thinks he can get me some work at the club. I never realised the advantage of having friends in low places. So, what do you think?"

Mads smiled. "I think that the two of us having our own place sounds like a great idea." She leaned forward and kissed him.

* * *

Emma opened the door to the cabin and led Ethan inside, closing it firmly behind them. "You realise the irony that we've only just got you out of this place and you're back here?"Ethan asked.

"I want to spend the night with you,"Emma answered. "And as it stands, our options are a tiny trailer with your brother a bit too close for comfort, Kristin's couch or…this place."

Ethan pretended to mull it over. "Okay, I can see how this might seem like the best option."

Emma took his hands and walked slowly backwards to the bedroom, pulling him after her. Once inside, she released him and continued walking backwards towards the bed. "So…we could just go to sleep or..?"

"Or?"Ethan prompted.

Emma unbuttoned her blouse and let it fall from her body. "Or we could think of something else to do first." She unzipped her skirt and stepped out of it, standing in front of him in her underwear, smiling mischievously.

Ethan smiled too. He pulled his shirt off and unbuttoned and dropped his jeans so he too was in his underwear. He crossed the few steps between them and kissed her passionately, once again feeling the intense sensation of her near-naked body against his.

They fell back onto the bed, the passion of their interaction growing as they discarded the last few remnants of their clothing, their bodies joining in a crescendo of pleasure. It was about more than the intense physical longing they felt for each other, it was a joining that neither had experienced with someone else, the feeling of being fully known by another both physically and emotionally, leaving both of them certain that they were exactly where they were meant to be.

* * *

"You had something to tell me?"Rebecca asked.

Thayer leaned forward, taking a slight perverse satisfaction in breaking news he knew would disconcert her. "Kristin knows. She knows about Emma, she knows about you being her mother."

Rebecca maintained the mask of disinterest, keeping her voice level and her expression unchanged. "How did she react?"

"She invited her to stay. She's living with her. Emma and Sutton are both living with Kristin."

This time he saw the tremble of her lips and the flash of fire in her eyes, the only outward sign of the anger he knew she was feeling. "And Ted?"

Thayer shook his head. "No. I spoke to Laurel. She says Kristin's more angry with him than ever. She's still pressing ahead with the divorce."

Now Rebecca smiled, a smile that somehow didn't make her expression any less cold. "Well then. It makes no difference. Once Ted and I are back together, Emma and Sutton will come and live with us. We just need to make sure everything goes according to plan in court. You know what you have to do."

Thayer smiled. "I think I've learnt how to be convincing."

"Good. If we both play our part in court, then this time next week I'll be out of here. Then Kristin and the rest of Scottsdale are in for one hell of a surprise."

* * *

**End of Episode Four**


	13. Episode 5 Chapter 1

**Thank you for the reviews and for anyone who's added this to a list. Apologies if people were unhappy with Emma's actions in the previous chapter, I think that may have been a case of plot overriding character. I'll try and address it in this chapter. **

* * *

**EPISODE FIVE:** Trial and Error

**CHAPTER ONE**

Emma emerged from Sutton's room wearing a smart businesslike dress. Sutton had insisted she borrow it, asserting that none of her clothes were suitable for a courtroom. She felt self-conscious, still stuck in the halfway stage where she wasn't pretending to be Sutton anymore but hadn't quite worked out how to be herself again. Kristin was the only one still in the house, her gaze falling on Emma. "Your sisters are waiting outside,"she noted.

Emma nodded. "You don't mind us travelling in with him?"

"I can understand you wanting to see him beforehand. It doesn't really concern me, after all."

Emma sighed, wishing she could find a way to breach the distance between them. A distance that her recent actions had only served to increase. "I know I should have told you myself that I was spending the night with Ethan."

"It would have been the polite thing to do,"Kristin agreed. "But I can't really lecture you about it, can I? I'm not your mother. I'm your..."

"Stepmother?"Emma suggested.

Kristin met her gaze for a moment and gave a reluctant nod. "Yes, I suppose I am. It's like you're some distant relative that's come to stay, except it's harder even than that because you already know me so well and in a way I know you, even though I didn't know that at the time."

"I know that everything you did for me you thought you were doing for Sutton but I wasn't pretending. Not about that. I really do care about this family." Emma swallowed hard before attempting,"About you."

Kristin nodded slowly. "For what it's worth, I'm glad that Ethan makes you happy."

Laurel came running in. "Emma, come on, Sutton's about to drive off without you!" She stopped, seeing the awkward looks on both their faces. "Did I just interrupt a moment?"

Kristin gently straightened her youngest daughter's collar. "It's okay, I think we're all straight for the moment. I'll see you both there."

* * *

Mads wrapped a robe around herself as she came out of the bedroom, looking around the apartment with a deep sigh. Whilst it was a lot smaller than her old home, Jordan had been quite right: This was a place that was _theirs_, without all the bad memories of the old place. Her eyes alighted upon Jordan sat at the table, having his breakfast, still wearing the t-shirt and shorts he'd slept in. She sidled up to him and gave him a long kiss on the lips. "Have I mentioned how much I love living with you?"

"Once or twice,"he answered with a smile before pulling her back into another kiss.

Mads eventually disentangled herself and slid into the other seat at the table. "Are you okay about today? Giving evidence?"

Jordan shrugged. "I'll have to be, won't I?"

"Rebecca's given you a lot of help in the past, even this last time you'd probably have been in jail without her."

"Yeah, I know, but I'm tired of owing things to Rebecca. I've paid her back for everything she's done for me." He took Mads' hand. "You're the only one I care about now."

* * *

Ted let Emma, Sutton and Laurel into the flat, giving them a kiss on the cheek in turn. "How are you feeling?"he asked.

"Like I'm about to send my birth mother to Death Row,"Sutton answered.

Ted gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "You can only tell the truth, okay?" He looked at Emma. "How are you settling in back at the house?"

"Well, I'm still not sure if Kristin is that comfortable with me but we're managing."

"Dad, can I talk to you about something?"Laurel asked suddenly. "Alone?"

Ted glanced at Emma and Sutton. "Do you mind?"

"We'll wait out in the hallway,"Emma agreed, taking Sutton by the arm and leading her outside.

"Do you know what that's about?"Sutton asked her.

"No idea,"Emma admitted.

"That's funny. I thought she told you everything. So…she's keeping secrets from us now?" Emma gave an ironic shrug. Sutton couldn't help but see her point. "Guess she really does want to be like her big sisters."

* * *

Rebecca looked at her image in the mirror. She had put on the most conservative but expensive dress she could find, sending out the image of a respected member of the community. The sort of person who would never get involved with a triple murder. She seemed to look the part.

A female guard opened the cell door. "Sewell? Your ride's here." As Rebecca walked past, she gave her a dismissive look. "See you later."

Rebecca flashed her a confident smile. "Don't bet on it."

* * *

Kristin was waiting at the courthouse when Ted, Emma, Sutton and Laurel turned up. The five of them stood around awkwardly. "How have you been?"Ted attempted.

Kristin nodded briefly. "Fine. Fine." She noticed Emma's lapel was creased and smoothed it unconsciously before realising what she was doing.

"That's our mum,"Laurel remarked, desperate to break the tension. "Never happy unless she's tidying something."

Emma's gaze fell on where Dan and Ethan were standing. "I need to go speak to them for a moment." She hurried over to the pair and gave Ethan a quick kiss of greeting. "Hi there."

Dan looked at her briefly. "Thanks for coming,"he said before heading in the direction of the rest of her family.

"How is he?"Emma asked Ethan.

Ethan sighed. "Barely holding it together."

Dan was talking to Sutton. "I know it's going to be hard giving evidence,"he told her. "But just tell the facts as best you can and don't let anyone distract you." Sutton nodded and Dan patted her arm reassuringly.

Jordan and Mads came over to the group. "Do you have any idea where Thayer is?"Mads asked.

Laurel shrugged. "I haven't seen him today."

A court official appeared. "The State of Arizona versus Rebecca Sewell is about to commence."


	14. Episode 5 Chapter 2

**Thank you to everyone that's added this to their lists!**

* * *

**CHAPTER TWO**

Sitting in the witness box, Sutton looked as nervous as anyone present had seen her. The new DA was a tall black woman in her early 30s, Kim Lacey. She looked at Sutton with a reassuring but professional gaze. "Miss Mercer. Could you tell me your relationship to the defendant?"

"She's my birth mother,"Sutton answered. There was a ripple of murmurings from those present who were not already aware of the fact. Many of them looked at Emma, clearly drawing conclusions about how a girl who looked exactly like Sutton came to be there.

"When did you learn this?"Miss Lacey asked.

"On my seventeenth birthday. Someone had attacked me in my car, I'd driven it into a lake. I nearly drowned but a woman named Annie Hobbs saved me. She took me to a motel to recuperate and Rebecca found us there. She told me who she was."

"And who was the person that attacked you?"

"Derek Rogers." Sutton could feel the tension rising in the courtroom at the revelation.

"Did Miss Sewell know this?"

"I don't know. I found out the night Derek was killed, my friend Ethan and I went to see him and he admitted it. I told Rebecca the next morning but she might have known before that."

Miss Lacey took out a bag and gestured for a bailiff to hand it to Sutton. "This is People's Exhibit A, a necklace that the defence has stipulated was found at the scene of Theresa Lopez's murder. Can you identify it?"

"Yes. It belonged to Rebecca." Sutton loosened her collar to reveal the matching chain around her own neck. "She gave me one like it. She intended to give that one to my sister Emma but she never got around to it."

"With your permission, I would like to enter your necklace as People's Exhibit B." Sutton nodded and handed her chain to the bailiff, who put it in another bag. "No further questions."

Rebecca's attorney was Mr William Sanders, a rotund, balding man in his 40s. He got up to address Sutton. "Miss Mercer, when you and your friend saw Derek Rogers the night he was killed, did you see anyone else there?"

"A car pulled up as we were leaving,"Sutton answered.

"Do you know who was in the car?"

"We didn't see him at the time but it was Alec Rybak."

"And did Derek tell you why he attacked you?"

"He said Alec had paid him to abduct me."

"Thank you. No further questions."

* * *

"Office Whitehorse,"Miss Lacey addressed Dan,"you were involved in the investigations into these murders, correct?"

"That is correct."

"You initially arrested Alec Rybak for the murder of Derek Rogers?"

"Yes. The tyre iron used to kill Derek was found in Mr Rybak's belongings."

"But the charges were later dropped. Why was that?"

"It was discovered that Jessica Whitman, a worker at the Chelsea Creek County Club, was paid to plant the tyre iron in Mr Rybak's golf bag. Mr Rybak had an alibi for when the phone call to her was made."

"What was your relationship to the second victim, Theresa Lopez?"

"She was my fiancè."

"And also Mr Rybak's attorney?"

"That's right."

"Did she tell you why she represented Mr Rybak?"

"No. She said he'd shared a secret with her but she couldn't say what because of client confidentiality."

"Did you ever find out what this secret was?"

"After her death, Alec Rybak told me that he'd told her that Rebecca was the birth mother of Sutton and Emma. He felt that Rebecca would kill to keep that secret."

"A secret that both Derek Rogers and Alec Rybak were also aware of?"

"Yes."

"What happened after that?"

"Sutton Mercer identified the necklace found where Theresa was murdered as belonging to Rebecca Sewell. I applied for an arrest warrant but when we arrived at her home she'd already fled the scene."

"When did you next see her?"

"On the roof of the club right after Alec was pushing through it."

"No further questions."

Mr Sanders stood up. "Did Miss Sewell offer an explanation for her presence on the roof?"

"She said she'd gone there to meet Alec,"Dan replied.

"Did she admit to pushing him?"

"No. She said he jumped."

"Do you have any evidence to the contrary?"

"She had motive, means and opportunity, which no-one else did!"

"Other than your belief, do you have any evidence?"

Dan sighed. "No."

"Thank you. No further questions."

"You are excused, Officer Whitehorse,"the female judge noted.

Dan looked utterly downcast as he left the box. Ethan tried to give him a sympathetic look but it made no difference. He knew his testimony had just been rendered worthless.

* * *

It was Jordan's turn on the stand. "Mr Lyle, do you know who instructed Miss Whitman to plant the tyre iron on Mr Rybak?"Miss Lacey asked him.

Jordan looked at Mads, who gave him a reassuring smile. Then he turned back to the prosecutor. "Yes. I did."

There were muttering of outrage which were quelled by the judge. "Why?"Miss Lacey asked.

"Rebecca Sewell told me to. She was blackmailing me over an incident that happened in LA. A car crash where I was driving. She told me to make the call to Miss Whitman from the golf course where Alec was, so it'd look like he called her himself, as a double bluff. But I made the call from somewhere else so the police knew it wasn't him."

Miss Lacey nodded. "Your witness, Mr Sanders."

Mr Sanders stood up. "Mr Lyle, you witnessed a break-in at the Rybak house around the time of Miss Lopez's disappearance, didn't you?"

"Yes,"Jordan confirmed. "I saw someone take something from the safe."

"Do you know who the person was?"

"No."

"Or what was taken?"

"No."

"No further questions."

* * *

Once the state had concluded their case, Mr Sanders had called Rebecca to the stand. "Miss Sewell. Would you explain the circumstances by which you gave your daughters Sutton and Emma up for adoption?"

"I called Alec for help. I was alone, their father was married to someone else and didn't want anything to do with me, I couldn't cope. I asked Alec to find a home for them."

"Did you know where they were placed?"

"Not at first. I cut ties with them for many years. Then I found out that the twins' birth father, my former lover, Ted Mercer, had adopted a baby girl at the same time our daughters were born."

There were more scandalised mutterings from the crowd. Ted winced at his secret being exposed so publicly. Kristin stared straight ahead, refusing to meet anyone's gaze.

Rebecca went on. "I realised Alec must have split the twins up. I never wanted that, I wanted them to grow up together. So I came here and found Sutton and she told me Emma was here as well, that she'd been posing as her while Sutton went to look for me."

"And you wanted this kept a secret?"

"No!"Rebecca insisted. "I was desperate to be their mother. It was Alec that wanted it kept secret, he knew if anyone found out he'd been involved in a private adoption his career would be over. He threatened me, made me keep quiet. He even got Derek Rogers to try and abduct Sutton so no-one would know both she and Emma were in town."

"How did the tyre iron used to kill Derek Rogers come to be in your possession?"

"Someone sent it to me anonymously, along with a photo of Alec about to strike Derek with it."

"And the necklace found at the scene of Theresa Lopez's murder? How did that come to be there?"

"It was stolen from the safe."

"Why did you leave town after the necklace was found?"

"Alec rang me. He said the police were coming to arrest me and I should get out of town. I did at first but then I realised he was trying to shift the blame on me. I went back and told him I'd expose him. And that's when he jumped. He said he'd see me sent down for murder even if it was his."

"No further questions."

Miss Lacey stood up. "You say the necklace was stolen from the safe?"

"That's right,"Rebecca confirmed.

"Are you sure you didn't steal it yourself?"

Rebecca looked shocked. "I'm sorry?"

"You've already admitted you tried to make it look like Alec had planted evidence on himself in a double bluff. Perhaps you have done the same? You stage a break-in and plant evidence against yourself, making it look like you're being framed?"

"No, that's not true!"Rebecca insisted.

"I think you are a cold, calculating woman, Miss Sewell, who has murdered three people and is trying to blame the deaths of two of them on your remaining victim. No further questions."

Mr Sanders stood up. "The defence calls Thayer Rybak."

Of all the shocked reactions there had been in the courtroom that day, this was the greatest. Emma, Ethan, Sutton, Laurel, Jordan and Mads all looked at each other in astonishment and then at the courtroom door where Thayer was entering, avoiding their gaze as he headed up to the witness box.

"Mr Rybak,"Mr Sanders greeted him. "Do you know who killed Derek Rogers?"

"Yes. It was my stepfather, Alec Rybak."

The uproar returned, even stronger this time, the judge calling for order. "How do you know this?"Mr Sanders asked.

"Because I saw him do it. I followed Sutton and Ethan to the auto garage and I saw him kill Derek after they'd gone."

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"Because I was scared. I sent the photo and the tyre iron to Rebecca. I hoped that she'd know what to do with them, that she'd make him pay. But Alec found out what I'd done. He told me he'd killed Theresa as well. He'd told her about Sutton and Emma so she'd help him but she was getting too close to finding the real killer. Him. So he killed her. He said he'd kill me too if I didn't help him frame Rebecca."

"Which you did?"

"Yes. I stole the necklace from the safe and planted it in the quarry."

"As someone who was close to Alec and knew everything that had happened, in your opinion, would he have committed suicide in order to frame Rebecca?"

"Yes. He was so obsessed with paying her back he'd have done anything."

* * *

Thayer had hoped to get away from the courthouse as soon as the jury retired to their deliberations but he was out of luck. He heard the running footsteps behind him and heard Mads' angry voice. "How could you say all that about Dad?"

Thayer turned to face Mads and Jordan, the latter running to catch his girlfriend up. "Because it's the truth."

"No, it's not! You painted him out to be some sort of monster!"

"You're all convinced Rebecca's the monster. Well, I've seen what Alec's like. And it's about time you all faced up to it." Thayer turned and walked away.

A few yards away, Laurel walked slowly over to Kristin. "Mum…I need to tell you something."

"What's that?"

"I've told Dad that I want to live with him. And he's said yes." She saw the hurt on Kristin's face. "I mean, hey, this means Emma can have my room and it's silly to have us all squeezed in at your place when there's a spare room at Dad's…" She saw that her attempt to make light of it wasn't working. It was time to switch to heartfelt. "It's not because I don't love you, it's just the opposite. You're my mother and you love me. I know that. Sutton…she never quite got it. And Emma, she's never had that. It's you she thinks of as her mother, you know, not Rebecca. They both do. They need you more than I do. Please say something."

Kristin gave her a sad smile. "I think you're a very good sister. And daughter." She hugged her. Then she noticed Dan trying to catch her eye. He solemnly nodded towards the courtroom.

* * *

Everyone took their places as the jury filed back in. The male foreman stood up. "Have you reached a verdict on all counts on which you are all decided?"the judge asked.

"We have."

"Do you find the defendant guilty or not guilty?"

"Not guilty."


	15. Episode 5 Chapter 3

**Thank you for the review!**

* * *

**CHAPTER THREE**

Kristin, Sutton and Emma were scattered around the living area of the Mercer household, Sutton standing and the other two sitting. "Not guilty,"Sutton reiterated. "Not guilty. Is she really not guilty?"

"That's what the jury believed,"Kristin replied.

"And it's what Thayer said,"Emma added. "So I guess it must be true. Alec was behind it all along."

"Hmph!" Sutton shrugged, bewildered. "And I was starting to trust him as well. So what happens now? Do we get to know Rebecca?"

"Well, that's up to you,"Kristin answered.

Emma thought for a moment. "Well, even if she didn't murder half the town, she's still not a very nice person. I'm not sure I want to get to know her."

Sutton looked at Kristin. "Do you mind if I think about it?"

"Of course,"Kristin answered.

Sutton nodded slowly. "I need some air,"she decided, heading out of the house.

Left alone with Kristin, Emma felt suddenly uncomfortable. "I guess I'd better go and check out Laurel's room,"she decided.

"Emma, wait,"Kristin told her. Emma eased herself back into her seat. Kristin looked at her earnestly. "I've been thinking about what Laurel said. About you needing a family. I haven't exactly gone out of my way to let you know you've got one."

"Well, I was kind of sprung on you. You let me stay, that was more than most people would have done in your circumstances."

"I know but…I do what you to be part of this family. I might not be quite ready to accept I've got three daughters now but I'm going to do my best to treat you the same as I would the others. If you're willing to do the same?"

Emma nodded. "I've had a lot of people give me rules to keep me in line. I think you're the first person that's give me rules to keep me safe."

Kristin gave a caring smile. "So...can I have a hug?"

Emma smiled and cuddled up to her surrogate mother, letting the warmth of Kristin's arms enfold her. "I'd really like that."

* * *

Ethan watched Dan closely as they arrived back at the trailer, worried about what pent-up emotions his brother was concealing. "How are you feeling?"

Dan stopped and sighed. "I don't know whether Theresa's killer is already dead or if I've just watched her walk free."

"What are you going to do?"

Dan shrugged. "Drop it. Jury's made their decision. Nothing I can do. Guess I'll just have to convince myself justice really was done."

Ethan nodded. "Well, I mean, Alec might have done it. Thayer seemed to think so and we know he could be sneaky."

"Yeah." Dan took a bottle of beer out of the fridge, handed it to Ethan, then picked one out for himself. "To Theresa,"he noted.

Ethan clinked bottles with him. "Theresa,"he echoed.

"And to not letting chances of happiness get away from you."

* * *

Laurel whistled to herself happily as she unpacked her case, carefully putting her clothes away in the wardrobe. Ted came in, carrying two more cases. "Are you sure you don't want to leave some stuff at your mum's place?"

Laurel shook her head. "Nah, Emma needs the closet space."

"All the same…I don't want you being driven out of your home or anything. I appreciate you being here…"

Laurel stopped her unpacking and went to stand in front of him. "Dad…I get that I've got a home with Mum. But I live here now. That's what I decided. This isn't about creating two families, with you and me here and Mum and the twins there. It's about us still being one family. Who just happen to live in two different places. As long as this is your home, it's my home too."

Ted smiled fondly at her. "When did you get to be such a wise person?"

"I think it was probably around the time I met my big sister. Now go on, scram. I've got some clothes to sort out. And clothes are a very serious business."

* * *

Dan had repeatedly reassured Ethan that he was all right until Ethan felt comfortable enough to head out on a bike ride. So now Dan sat alone outside the trailer, sipping away at his beer bottle. He saw the car draw up in front of him and one of the twins get out. He stared hard at her for several seconds. "Sutton?" he ventured at last.

Sutton nodded. "You're getting quite good at that."

"Observation. When you know there's two of you, you pick up on the little subtle clues. Like the fact you curl your hair more." Dan saw Sutton smile. It was something she seemed to do a lot more often than she used to. He gestured vaguely towards the road with his beer bottle. "Ethan's not here."

"That's okay. I came to see you."

Dan was surprised. "Oh?"

Sutton sighed. "Look, I'm not very good at this, okay? The whole caring thing. The concerned questions, the 'How are you?' bit. But…you did your best to make this as easy for me as you could and I let you down."

Dan shook his head. "You did what you thought was right, you told the truth. You tried to help me find Theresa's killer and I'll always be grateful for that."

Sutton shot him a grateful look. "Do you think the jury got it right? That it was Alec, not Rebecca, behind everything."

"I don't know. Maybe. Either way, it's over. You think you can have a relationship with Rebecca now?"

Sutton was quiet for a moment. "I met your dad, do you know that?"

"Yeah, Ethan told me you were there."

"Well, I think there's more chance of you building bridges with him than there is of me doing it with Rebecca."

* * *

Thayer carried Rebecca's bags as they entered the house. Rebecca stepped forward and let out a deep sigh of satisfaction. "Home sweet home." She turned to Thayer. "Mads and Jordan?"

"Well, they moved out a few weeks ago and I don't think they'll be eager to move back in now you're here."

"So, just the two of us then? Well, I think that should work out just fine."

"What about Emma? You…you said you'd help me get her back."

Rebecca nodded. "As soon as she accepts me as her mother, I'll be sure to let her know just who I think is the right boy for her."

"You think she'll do that?"

"She'll be a tough nut to crack. The toughest of all of them. But it'll happen. She'll see she belongs with me, not Kristin. They all will. You, me, Ted, Sutton and Emma. One big happy family. As it should be."

* * *

**End of Episode Five**


	16. Episode 6 Chapter 1

**Thank you to everyone who's added this to a list!**

* * *

**EPISODE SIX:** As Strong As Your Weakest Link

**CHAPTER ONE**

Emma hung up her outfits in Laurel's wardrobe – her wardrobe now, she corrected herself. It was a slightly depressing sight. She hadn't brought many clothes with her and had only managed to add a few items since. It filled less than a quarter of the space available and she didn't really feel in a position to ask Kristin for more.

Her reverie was interrupted by the appearance of Sutton in the doorway. To Emma's astonishment, her twin was holding a large selection of clothes in her arms. She dumped them down on the bed. "Here."

Emma looked at the outfits in astonishment. They weren't the type that you'd normally put out for a charity collection. Emma recognised several items that had been among her favourites, and Sutton's too for that matter. "What are these?"

Sutton shrugged. "Well, we've been sharing clothes for so long, I figure these are as much yours as mine. Fill up a bit of that empty space there."

Emma grabbed her sister in a hug which Sutton returned awkwardly. "Thank you so much."

"Hey, no problem. Just call it a welcome home present."

Emma released her and looked her in the eye. "I'm really glad you're my sister,"she said with a smile before turning to gather up the clothes. Sutton watched Emma happily adding the outfits to her wardrobe for a few moments before slipping out of the room.

"That was a very kind thing you just did,"remarked Kristin, who was pouring herself a cup of coffee at the bar.

Sutton shrugged as she went over. "No biggie. I kept all the good stuff."

"You really like having her around, don't you?"

Sutton was used to evading questions like that. But recent events had taught her that people actually liked it when she spoke from the heart. "It might sound weird, given how long I've been here and how things are at the moment, but…I guess she's taught me what it means to be a family. She hasn't had that before and I see how she appreciates it so maybe that makes me appreciate it."

Kristin nodded. "I'm sorry that we didn't manage to show you what a family was about sooner. I always tried my best to treat you and Laurel equally. Tried too hard, I suppose. I was so busy overcompensating and second guessing that I suppose it came across as false. I never let you know how much you really meant to me, deep down."

Sutton smiled awkwardly. "I think I know now."

* * *

Rebecca was pacing back and forth in the front room, seeming very focused. Thayer sat on the steps, watching her. She turned to him suddenly, an idea forming. "An inside man. That's what we need. Someone that the Mercers trust, that they'll confide in."

It took Thayer a moment to realise she was looking hard at him. "Hey, look, I might be friends with them but I'm not sure they trust me anymore. Not after I spoke in your defence at the trial."

"Maybe so but they trust you more than they trust me. It shouldn't be too hard to get onside with them."

"If I thought I could talk Emma round, do you think I'd be helping you?"

Rebecca gave him a smile that managed to be sweet and insincere at the same time. "And I thought you were helping me so you don't end up on a murder charge. You're right though. Emma's too independently minded for her own good. That's why I've been reluctant to involve her for so long. And Sutton's never liked you that much so I don't think she'll be too open."

Thayer felt a twinge at resentment at the casual way she disparaged him. He wasn't even sure if she was aware she was doing it. It was obvious that Rebecca only saw him as a tool, viewing him in terms of what he could do for her rather than seeing him as a person.

Rebecca suddenly stopped and turned to face him, a smile on her face. "Have you ever heard the saying that you're only as strong as your weakest link?"

"Yeah, what of it?"

"I think we need to find the Mercers' weakest link."

* * *

Emma found herself rooted to her seat, unable to get out of the car. Even though those few steps were a route that she'd walked many times before, doing them again, in these very new circumstances, filled her with dread.

Ethan had opened up the door at her side and was leaning against the car, looking down at her. "Come on, Emma, you've been to school before."

"Yes, but not with my twin right next to me." Emma nodded to Sutton, who was sat in the driver's seat.

"Hey, you're not the only one who's going to get the third degree,"Sutton reminded her.

"Laurel and I are both going to be there to support you,"Ethan told them reassuringly. He glanced towards the back seat. "Right?"

"Right!"agreed Laurel who was also still sitting in the car.

Emma sighed, offered Ethan her hand and let him pull her out of the vehicle. "Okay, let's get it over with."

Emma and Sutton walked into the school side by side, Ethan next to Emma and Laurel next to Sutton. Everyone they passed looked at them, some of them without even bothering to hide it, the others shooting them quick glances while pretending to still be chatting to their friends.

Jordan and Mads came over to them. "You realise that about 90% of the guys in this hall, and about 10% of the girls, are wondering what it'd be like to have sex with you both?"Jordan asked them.

Sutton gave him an insincere smile. "Thanks, Jordan. That's just what we needed to hear right now."

"Just thought it was a good way to break the ice."

"We're all with you,"Mads interjected.

Ethan glanced behind the pair. "Er, guys?"

Mr Beattie approached them. He looked at the twins for a long moment. "Which of you is Emma?"he asked at last.

Emma nervously raised a hand. "That would be me."

"Mrs Mercer has sent us your details and we have your report from your last school. But there's a few things we need to clear up about your attendance here."He gestured to a classroom. "In here, please."

Emma awkwardly went as indicated. The rest of the group began to edge away, hoping to escape the teacher's attention.

"You too, Sutton,"Mr Beattie added.

Sutton sighed and followed Emma inside.


	17. Episode 6 Chapter 2

**CHAPTER TWO**

Emma and Sutton sat on top of adjacent desks. Mr Beattie was perched on the edge of the teacher's desk directly in front of them. "It appears that the school has a problem,"he noted. "A large number of the tests and assignments that we believed were the work of Miss Mercer here were actually the work of Miss Becker."

"Miss Mercer,"Emma corrected.

Mr Beattie looked at her in confusion. "_You're_ Sutton Mercer?"

"No, I'm Emma Mercer. I've decided to use my birth father's name."

Sutton looked surprised. "Since when?"

Emma shrugged. "Since now, I guess. Becker was just the name Social Services had on a file. It was never really me."

Mr Beattie irritably crossed information out on the sheets in front of him and made a correction. "The fact remains that this school looks dimly on one student's work being passed off as that of another, however unusual the circumstances. There has been talk of having all your work for the period declared void and forcing you to repeat it. Fortunately for you, we've decided to take a less extreme course of action." He produced two large piles of sheets, both of them stapled together, and handed them to the two girls. "These tests will help us determine exactly what level each of you is at and your scores will be calculated accordingly. Begin when ready."

* * *

"It was so embarrassing,"Emma complained later. "I know they've got to do it but…"

"Hey, look on the bright side,"Ethan suggested, his mouth close to her ear. "You get to stay in school and you've probably got a better chance of graduating at the right time than I have."

"So are we nearly there yet?"Emma asked, dragging the conversation back to the fact that Ethan had his hands over her eyes and was leading her goodness only knows where.

"You can look…now." Ethan removed his hands.

Emma saw two horses tethered to a post. She looked at Ethan. "We're going to ride them?"she asked, making sure she hadn't misinterpreted the situation.

Ethan nodded. "Just the two of us."

"You do know I grew up in Vegas, right? I've barely even seen a horse before, much less ridden one."

"I can teach you. We rode them a lot back at my father's place." Ethan sensed her unease. "Hey, look, it was just an idea. If you're not comfortable…"

Emma realised that he was trying to do something special for them and felt guilty for her objection. She smiled at him, putting her arms round the neck. "I think it is the perfect romantic surprise from my perfect romantic boyfriend." She kissed him lightly. "So, ah, what do we do then?"

Ethan led her over to the horses and handed her a helmet. "Well, first you'd better wear this." Emma nodded in agreement as she took it from him. "And then you…get on."

Emma tried her best to keep the nervous smile in place as Ethan helped her to mount the horse. "Right, erm, that feels okay,"she managed to say.

Ethan untied the two horses and clambered onto his own mount. "Don't worry. We'll take it slowly."

* * *

Sutton cautiously twirled a long wooden spoon in circles in a bowl of cake mix. She eyed the contents suspiciously, as if afraid they were going to jump out and bite her.

"You need to do it faster than that, Sutton,"Kristin told her gently.

Sutton reluctantly increased her pace, trying to ignore the few splatters that landed on her. She'd baulked slightly when Kristin had offered her an apron but at least it stopped her clothes being ruined.

"Not that I mind,"Kristin continued,"but why did you want to help me with the baking? You never have before."

Sutton sighed, trying to think of a way she could say what was on her mind without hurting her mother's feelings. "I just thought…Emma and Laurel both did this with you and it's the sort of thing mothers and daughters do together. And maybe if I'd done this with you before, I'd have accepted you more as my mother. So I thought…better late than never."

Kristin smiled at her. "Well, I appreciate the thought."

"So, are you going to get back with Dad?" Sutton saw Kristin's smile disappear at the same moment that she looked downwards, breaking eye contact. She continued anyway. "It's just…it's kind of ironic if I work out who my family are at the same moment they split up."

Kristin looked back at her. "It was Emma I spoke to about this before, wasn't it?" Sutton gave a shrug that indicated it probably was. "Ted was the safe option. I married him because I thought he was a good man who would never hurt me. And he did. And I'm not sure that I can ever go back to feeling the same way I did about him."

"I know he let you down but…look at me, I've let pretty much everyone down and they're still talking to me."

Kristin thought for a moment, trying to put her feelings into words. "Deep down, I do believe that Ted's a good man. But he's not the man that I thought he was. And I don't think I can stay married to the person he turned out to be."

* * *

Ted fiddled with his car keys, desperately searching for a reason to stay in the flat. "You know, maybe I should give Sutton and Emma a call, see if they want to come over."

Laurel rolled her eyes. "Dad, I don't need a babysitter!"

"I just feel kind of guilty leaving you here on your own after you moved in to keep me company. Maybe I should call into work and tell them I can't make it."

Laurel sighed. "Dad. Seriously. I've got the TV, the computer and my phone." She gestured to the items in question in turn. "That's everything a teenage girl needs to keep entertained."

Ted eventually conceeded the point. "Okay. I'll see you this evening." He kissed her on the top of the head. "Love you."

"Love you back!"Laurel called after him.

Ted exited the flat, heading down the stairs to street level. He paused just outside the building, fiddling with his keys again, looking for some excuse to stay. When nothing came to mind, he sighed and headed to his car.

He didn't notice the car parked opposite nor did he notice that the driver was watching him with a keen interest. Thayer kept a close eye on Ted until the car was off the drive and out of sight. Then he got out of his own car and headed to the flat.

* * *

Laurel sighed as she heard the knock at the door. Expecting Ted to have come up with some pretext to come back, she opened it to find it wasn't Ted at all. "Thayer!" She looked at him in confusion. "Were you looking for someone else?"

Thayer managed a smile. "No, actually, I was looking for you. Can I come in?"

"Oh. Yeah. Sure." She stood aside to let him into the flat, unsure how to treat her unusual guest. "Did you want a beer or something? Dad's got some in the fridge but he might think I drank it…"

"Juice is fine."

"Right, sure." Laurel hurried into the kitchen and filled up a glass, offering it to him.

Thayer took it, making sure he touched her hand a little bit more than necessary as he did so. He saw the momentary look of shock cross Laurel's face at the spark of contact before he withdrew.

"So, er, what was it you wanted?"Laurel asked.

"I just wanted to thank you for being so nice to me lately. I mean, now that Emma and I have broken up, you could have not wanted to have anything to do with me but you've always gone out of your way to make sure I'm all right."

Laurel shrugged. "Look, I know you cared about her and I pretty much encouraged her to go for it, I thought you two would have been great together. But you can't help who you fall for, can you?"

"No, you can't." Thayer looked her in the eye, gazing at her intensely. He saw her meet the gaze and hold it for a few moments before she looked away. He opened his arms in an invitation. "Friends?"

She smiled and hugged him. He held her there, letting her get used to the feeling, then he tilted her face and kissed her softly on the lips. She accepted the kiss, caught in the moment, until her brain clicked in and she pulled away from him. "Woah."

Thayer immediately came over apologetic. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to do that."

"Well, yeah, I didn't really figure you'd been dreaming of kissing me."

Thayer paused, adopting an awkward look. "I didn't say that."

Laurel looked at him uncertainly. "What do you mean?"

Thayer continued to stammer, perfecting the look of a nervous suitor. "I mean that you're…you're gorgeous and you've got a great heart, Laurel, and…and any guy with any sense would want to kiss you." He paused before adding,"Or be your boyfriend."He saw that that got a reaction out of her and smiled inwardly. "But you know, I get that you don't see me like that so I'm sorry."

Laurel took hold of his hands, feeling them awkwardly in her own as she closed the gap between them. Thayer put his arms round her waist, holding her there. Her own arms travelled up around his neck, pulling him down for a kiss. He kissed her softly at first, letting her get used to the feeling, gradually making it more intense and passionate. His hands travelled to the small of her back, reaching up underneath her top to feel the curves of her skin as she responded to the touch. Her own hands gripped his back through his clothes, hang onto him with an intensity born of longing.

He let her take the lead, manoeuvring their embraced bodies through the clutter of the flat to her room. She pushed the door open with her foot and they stepped inside. He felt the desire in both their bodies and knew she would make no objection as he lowered her onto the bed.


	18. Episode 6 Chapter 3

**Thank you for the review!**

* * *

**CHAPTER THREE**

Laurel and Thayer lay facing each other, the covers draped over them. "Well, that was unexpected," Laurel remarked with a smile.

"But not unwelcome?"Thayer checked.

"Definitely not,"she agreed.

Thayer found himself agreeing with her. Making love to her had felt like a special experience. The fact that he even thought of it as making love told him that. For those few minutes when their bodies had been joined, his mind had blocked out the real reason he was doing this, the directions from Rebecca. Instead he had been focused on her, on making her happy. He would never pretend for one moment that he was in love with her but he recognised she was a good person. Emma's sister. Maybe if he could have a connection with her, it meant he could have it with Emma too.

"So, uh, are you a Mercer girl groupie or something?"Laurel suggested.

Thayer lightly ran his fingers along the side of her naked body. "This was all about you, I promise."

"And, er, is it going to happen again?"

Thayer could have made an excuse then, told her he had somewhere to be, that they'd see each other later. But instead, with a smile, he pulled her body closer to his, kissing her intensely as they wrapped themselves around each other.

* * *

Sutton scanned the egg section at the store, wondering exactly how she was expected to know which of the sizes and quantities she needed and wishing that she'd thought to ask when volunteering to make the trip. Finally, she settled on a large box of medium sized eggs. As she lifted it down off the shelf and turned towards the counter, she collided with someone. "Whoops, sorry!"she noted before she realised who it was. Dan.

"How are your eggs?"he asked.

Sutton opened up the carton and examined them. "No breakages."

"That's good. Why are you buying eggs anywhere?"

"Mum and I used up a load this afternoon. Long story." Sutton noticed the large bag of shopping that he was carrying. "And what have you used up?"

"Well, I wasn't going to trust Ethan with the weekly shopping. Trials of a single parent."

"Yeah, I think Mum's just finding out about those. Fortunately, she does trust me to buy…eggs." Sutton coughed slightly. "So I haven't heard from you since my offer, so either you're fine or you don't want to talk to me about it."

Dan smiled. "Bit of the former. I've got you on speed dial if I ever feel like crying down the phone at someone."

Sutton touched his arm lightly. "Consider me your personal Samaritan."

* * *

"It would have been quicker by bike,"Ethan remarked as he and Emma approached the Mercer house.

Emma shook her head. "Trust me, given how sore I am at the moment I don't feel like wrapping my legs round anything any time soon." She paused, realising how that could be miscontrued. "I mean…"

"Yeah, I got it,"he confirmed.

She smiled. "I had fun though. Thanks for arranging it."

"My pleasure." They stopped at the bottom of the drive and he gave her a quick kiss. "You can find your way from here?"

"I think I can manage." Emma watched him go then turned to head up the drive.

"Emma."

Emma turned at the voice and found Rebecca standing there. "What do you want?"

"To talk,"Rebecca replied. "I thought…maybe we could start again."

Emma shook her head. "Look, I'm glad you're not a murderer but we're past the point where you can start being my mother. You should have told me. When I first saw you out the back there, you could have tried to be my mother then. You told Sutton but I got left out. Again. You had sixteen years to get in touch with me and you just left me in care."

"I didn't know about any of that,"Rebecca protested. "That wasn't the life I wanted for you. I wanted for you and Sutton to grow up together, in a loving home. It was Alec who split you up, Alec who put you in care."

Emma paused at the last comment. "What do you mean?"

"When he found that Annie Hobbes took you from the family he placed you with, he was scared that she knew I was your mother, that people would find out he'd arranged the adoption. So he started that fire, let Annie think you were dead and paid to have her locked away in the mental hospital."

Emma had long suspected something like that had happened but she'd pushed it aside when she'd accepted Alec as an ally. "What happened to Annie?"

Rebecca looked awkward. "I don't know. Once I found her and Sutton and got her to put on that show at the hospital, I gave her some money and told her to go and start somewhere else."

Emma was glad. Although she didn't remember their time together, she suspected Annie had looked after her better and loved her more than anyone else until she'd come to Scottsdale. She wondered what her life would have been like if Alec had left them be.

Rebecca went on. "Alec got you out before the fire and took you to social services. He told them your name was Emma Becker, lost you in the system."

"Well, it's not,"Emma replied. "It's Emma Mercer. I thought for a long time they weren't really my family but they are. Ted's my father, Sutton and Laurel are my sisters."

"And Kristin?"Rebecca asked.

"Kristin…is the only woman who's ever made me feel welcome in her home."

Rebecca stared at her for a moment, then turned and headed off back down the road, barging past Laurel as she did so. Laurel stared after her then turned to Emma. "What did _she_ want?"

Emma shrugged. "For me to ignore the last few months. What are you doing here anyway?"

Laurel grinned and took her hand. "Let's find Sutton. There is something I so need to tell you both."

* * *

Emma and Sutton were sitting side by side on the edge of the bed in Sutton's room. Laurel sat opposite them in a chair, an innocent look on her face. "You slept with Thayer?"Emma repeated, still trying to process the information Laurel had just given them.

Laurel nodded, the ghost of a smile on her face. "Yep."

"Why?"Sutton asked, slightly bemused.

"'Cos he's a nice guy." Laurel looked to Emma for support. "Right?"

Emma shifted awkwardly. "That…is pretty much why I slept with him, yeah." She looked at Sutton. "You too, right?"

"No, I pretty much slept with him because I could."

"I get that it's weird that all three of us have been there,"Laurel continued. "But he's good-looking and he's older and he makes me feel good and it's not like either of you's still interested in him. And I want to keep seeing him and that'll be a lot easier if you two are all right with it. Are you?"

Sutton shrugged. "Well, you haven't had any action since Justin so I can see why you'd go there."

Emma was more cautious. "Do you love him?"

"No,"Laurel answered, bemused. She hesitated. "I mean, I guess I could but at the moment it's just two of us hanging out and enjoying spending time together. It's just been the once. Well…twice, technically. That's all right, isn't it?"

Emma hesitated, torn between wanting Laurel to be happy and being concerned about her casual attitude. In the end, the first one won out. "If it makes you happy, then yes."

* * *

What none of them knew was that Rebecca hadn't left the property. She was in the back garden, looking in through the window at the three girls, seeing how happy Laurel looked and how Sutton and Emma both accepted it. She smiled. Everything was going according to plan.

* * *

**End of Episode Six**


	19. Episode 7 Chapter 1

**Thank you for the review and for everyone who's added this to a list!**

* * *

**EPISODE SEVEN:** Coupling

**CHAPTER ONE**

Laurel shot a look towards the door of the diner for what felt like the hundredth time. She cursed herself for her weakness. She was the one that had suggested to Thayer that they meet there. So far, they'd only met up at her place or his place, usually when Ted and especially Rebecca (who Laurel had no desire to have a conversation with) were out of the way. Their time together had largely consisted of takeaway meals, DVDs and a fair amount of time in the bedroom. But she'd challenged him to take her on a date, to be a couple with her in public. Except now she was worrying that he wouldn't show.

She turned away with a sigh, looking towards the waitress. "Can I have a shake, please?"

"I'll get that,"Thayer said as he suddenly appeared alongside her.

Laurel smiled, pleased at his presence, then suddenly felt self-conscious. Drinking a milkshake would make her look like a child. "Make that a coffee,"she told the waitress.

"Two coffees,"Thayer amended.

"I wasn't sure you'd show up,"Laurel remarked as he slid into the seat next to her.

"Why wouldn't I? I haven't stood you up yet."

"Yeah, I know. But I just thought, well, you might think that being seen in public with a sixteen-year-old was a bit weird."

"What, you thought I'd be embarassed? To be seen with a hot girl like you?" Thayer leaned over and gave her a lingering kiss. "I am definitely not embarassed."

Laurel gave him a shy smile. "I stand corrected."

The waitress placed two coffees on the counter in front of them. Thayer nodded towards a pool table. "You want to shoot some pool?"

Laurel gathered up her cup. "Well, if you don't mind getting whipped by a sophomore…"

As they headed towards the table, neither of them knew that Rebecca was sat in her car outside the diner, looking in through the window. She saw the two of them jostling each other playfully, sharing grins, and scowled. She'd been watching Thayer around the girl for some time now and it was clear he wasn't just pretending: He enjoyed her company. And that wasn't part of the plan. She considered ordering him to stay away from Laurel but, even if he listened, the girl was still their best opening with the Mercers. She needed Thayer to stay close to Laurel while remaining loyal to her. And she knew the perfect way to do it…

* * *

Ted still wasn't sure what the protocol was for visiting a house that he technically owned but didn't live in anymore. He rested a hand on the door frame and stuck his head through the doorway. "Knock knock?" he called out cautiously.

The call was enough to attract Kristin's attention as she came through from another room. "Ted,"she greeted him with a polite smile. "What can I do for you?"

"I was wondering if Sutton and Emma fancied having lunch with me."

"Oh, I'm sorry, they're round at Mads' place. Is Laurel not with you?"

Ted shook his head. "She's out with Thayer. You know about that?"

Kristin nodded. "I'm surprised you agreed to it."

"Well, it took me by surprise but I don't think I'm really at the stage where I can start dictating about her relationships. What about you?"

"There's an age gap. But I guess there are worse things that can happen than your sixteen-year-old daughter having an older boyfriend."

Ted nodded, hesitating. "How about the two of us have lunch instead?" He noticed the look of concern in Kristin's eyes and held up his hands placatingly. "It's okay, I'm not going to read anything into it or think we're getting back together. But if we're going to do this shared custody thing, then we need to be able to talk to each other."

Kristin seemed to think about it for a long time, then nodded and picked up her handbag. "All right. Lunch it is."

* * *

Jordan brought a tray of drinks through to the sitting area where Emma, Sutton and Mads were all perched on chairs. "One for you, one for you and one for you,"he noted, handing them out. He paused, seeing the girls looking at him expectantly. "And now I think there's going to be something urgent for me to do in the other room,"he concluded, leaving them to it.

"Your boyfriend is very obliging,"Emma noted.

Mads looked after him fondly. "He is, isn't he?" She turned back to her friends. "So what did you want?"

Emma looked at Sutton, trying to prompt her to start the conversation rolling, but Sutton just returned the look. Emma sighed then turned back to Mads. "You've heard about Laurel and Thayer?"

Mads nodded. "Yeah. Wouldn't have thought she was his type. Or him hers."

"It took us by surprise too,"Emma confirmed. "Thing is…"

"We know Thayer's not your favourite person at the moment,"Sutton explained. "What with him telling the world that your dad's a murderer and everything. But…"

"It's this gathering at Ethan's tonight,"Emma continued. "Laurel really wants to bring Thayer with her but if you two are going to clash…"

Mads shrugged. "Well, I think we can manage for Laurel's sake."

"Any chance that you two will make up for your own sake?"Emma suggested.

Mads sighed. "I get that Dad treated us differently. But the man he described, the way Dad's going to be remembered, that's not the man I knew."

"He did some pretty shocking stuff,"Sutton pointed out. "Splitting us up, getting Annie Hobbes locked up, driving Eduardo out of town…Maybe Thayer's description isn't that far off the truth."

Mads looked at Emma for support but she could only offer an awkward smile. "Do you think Thayer and Laurel are serious about each other?"Mads asked at last.

Emma nodded. "Really serious."

* * *

Thayer arrived back at the house and dumped his bag on the couch. Rebecca stepped out of the kitchen, looking at him expectantly. "Well? Is Ted going to be home alone while you're all out in the desert?"

"No. He's got a night shift at the hospital."

Rebecca mulled the information over. "I can work with that." She sauntered over to Thayer, taking careful, meticulously elegant strides. "So, that's this evening covered. What are we going to do until then?" She grabbed Thayer's shirt in one hand and pulled him down towards her, kissing him full on the lips.

Thayer pulled away. "What was that for?"

"You want me to spell it out?" Rebecca raised an eyebrow imperiously. "Sleeping with Alec's wife in Alec's bed. The perfect way to stick it to him. Don't tell me you haven't dreamed about it."

Thayer stared at her for a moment, thinking about how attractive she was, how appealing what she'd just suggested was. Then he grabbed her and kissed her roughly, long and hard. He felt her hands gripping his hair and he groped her body hungrily, both of them overcome by lustful impulses, feeling the anticipation of release as they headed upstairs.


	20. Episode 7 Chapter 2

**Welcome and thank you to everyone who's added this to their list.**

* * *

**CHAPTER TWO**

Sutton stood next to the trailer in the flickering firelight. She was bored. So bored she was actually drinking a bottle of soda, without a straw. She glanced over to where Emma and Ethan and Mads and Jordan were dancing by the fire, a boombox that Ethan had balanced on a nearby chair providing them with the music. Even more sickening were Thayer and Laurel, who were stood a short distance away from the group, emerged in a conversation that seemed to consist largely of laughing, jostling and sticking their tongues down each other's throats.

"Feeling like a seventh wheel?"Dan asked as he joined her, bottle of beer in hand.

Sutton gave him a suitably severe glare. "I'm not the one who's being forced out of his home by a bunch of teenagers."

"I'll get my own back. Friday night I'm going to invite the boys from the station round for beers and force Ethan to join us."

Sutton looked impressed. "Officer Whitehorse, there is a crafty streak to you that I never noticed before."

"Well, coming from a master such as yourself, I feel flattered."

Emma and Ethan detached themselves from the group and approached their two siblings. "We're going to scoot off now,"Emma explained.

"I'm giving Emma a lift home,"Ethan added.

Sutton raised both her eyebrows. "Well, I guess I'll see you there then."

Sutton and Dan watched and waited as the pair clambered onto Ethan's bike. "You reckon he's coming back tonight?"Dan asked.

Sutton sighed. "Even bet, I think."

* * *

Ted rubbed his face wearily as he entered the hospital canteen. Night shifts always seemed to last a long time and he was only halfway through this one. He was heading towards a coffee machine when a voice from a nearby table called "Hi, Ted." He looked round to find Rebecca sitting there, smiling her sweetest smile. She gestured to the chair opposite her and the cup resting in front of it. "I got you a coffee."

Slightly self-conscious but not having any reason to refuse, Ted sat down where she'd indicated and took a cautious drink from the coffee cup. "Rebecca, what are you doing here?"he asked.

"Just thought there were a few things we've never managed to discuss. Emma. Sutton. Emma and Sutton."

Ted sighed. He'd hoped he wouldn't have to have this conversation again but perhaps it was inevitable. "Look, I had no idea what Alec was planning. If I'd known there were twins, then I don't know what I'd have done but I'd have tried to keep them together somehow or at least made sure I was in contact with them both…"

Rebecca placed a hand over his consolingly. Even though he thought it was probably the sensible thing to do, he didn't pull away. "I understand, Ted. Really I do. I'm just glad that one of our girls got to grow up with you in her life." She sighed heavily. "I just wish I could be part of their lives too."

Ted shifted uncomfortably. "I'm sorry I accused you of being a murderer, I'm sure the girls are too. They'll come around eventually."

"Not while Kristin's around they won't."

"She's been a good mother to Sutton,"Ted pointed out. "Emma too."

"But I want a chance to be a mother to them as well! They're the only children I'm ever likely to have, you know what that feels like. Couldn't you put in a word with them?"

"I'm not sure…"

"Or…maybe if the two of us spent time together and they saw that, they'd think it was okay to do the same?"

Ted hesitated. He didn't love Rebecca but he knew she loved him. He had a feeling Kristin still loved him too but she didn't trust him. They might be friends one day but their marriage seemed to be over. Was it worth taking a risk on Rebecca?

"Maybe,"he offered. He checked his watch. "I need to get back to work."

* * *

Laurel and Thayer were kissing as they entered the flat Laurel shared with Ted, arms wrapped around each other. Thayer disengaged from the kiss, looking around awkwardly. "You're sure your dad isn't going to come home?"

"He's not going to be back until morning,"Laurel assured him. "I have this place, and you, all to myself tonight." She kissed him again. "I think you know the way." She slinked over to her bedroom and leaned in the door frame, grinning broadly.

Thayer looked away from her for a moment, leaning against the back of the couch, a pang of guilt at the memory that he'd gone to bed with Rebecca just that afternoon. Then, as he often seemed to do when Laurel was around, he pushed all thoughts of Rebecca to the back of his mind. He took Laurel's hand and let her lead him into her room.

* * *

Emma and Ethan walked down the steps into the Mercer house living area and paused. "So, er, what do we do now?"Ethan asked.

Emma shrugged. "Well, I guess you could get back on your bike and head home." She smiled nervously and took his hands. He leaned down and kissed her softly.

Kristin emerged from her room and they hastily sprang apart. "Sorry, I heard voices and thought I'd check it was you. Is Sutton not with you?"

Emma shook her head. "No, I left early, Ethan gave me a lift home."

"Well, I'm sure she'll be home shortly." Kristin regarded her surrogate daughter's boyfriend. "Will you be joining us for breakfast, Ethan?"

Ethan was stunned by the indirect directness of the question. "I'm not sure."

"I'm sure we can find something if you do." Kristin had headed to the fridge as she spoke, pouring herself a glass of milk, before heading back in the direction of her room. "I'll see you in the morning."

Emma and Ethan stared after her. "What was that?"Ethan asked.

"I think,"Emma attempted,"she just gave you permission to stay over."

Ethan looked at her questioningly and Emma nodded, taking his hand and leading him into her room. She stood next to her bed nervously. Somehow this felt like new territory, as if having her boyfriend stay over meant…what? That there relationship was accepted? No, more than that. That if her relationship was accepted then so was she, as a part of the household, of the family?

She pushed those thoughts out of her mind, to ponder later. For now, her focus was on Ethan. She unbuttoned his shirt and he took her in his arms and kissed her softly before lowering her onto the bed.

* * *

Sutton waved, with a fixed smile on her face, as Jordan and Mads drove off. "And then there was one," she sighed.

"Two,"Dan reminded her.

"Do you actually count?"

Dan shrugged. "So, are you okay to get home on your own?"

"Yeah, I'm kind of used to it."

"I've got to say I'm impressed with you."

Sutton looked at him in surprise. "You are?"

"Yeah. I mean, the old Sutton, seeing all those people enjoying themselves without her, she'd have been forcing her way in, messing things up for them. You handled it well. You've changed."

"Well…I got fed up of everyone thinking of me as the evil twin."

"No-one's gonna think that now."

"Good." Sutton looked at him awkwardly. "And I'm sorry for all the trouble I caused you last year. I guess I wasn't really thinking about the guy that'd have to clear up the mess."

"Well, you are now. That's the main thing." Dan gave her a brief hug. He pulled back but didn't entirely remove his arms from around her. Instead, he looked her in the eye, wondering if she'd felt the same spark that he had. Her expression suggested she had. He raised a hand to gently stroke her face. When she didn't object, he kissed her softly on the lips.

Sutton smiled, put her arms round his neck and softly returned the kiss. His arms encircled her waist as they continue softly kissing, slowly walking towards the trailer. Neither of them thought about what they were doing, knowing that if they did they'd manage to talk themselves out of it. Instead, they just continued kissing as they headed inside.


	21. Episode 7 Chapter 3

**Thank you for the review, nice to hear people's reaction to the various "couplings", hopefully they'll still keep reading...**

* * *

**CHAPTER THREE**

Sutton woke up, blinking at the light streaming in through the windows. She blinked even harder when she saw her surroundings. She'd slept on what seemed to be a padded bench in a cramped living area, a quilt draped over her. She could see her clothes scattered around the small space and it took her a second to recognise Ethan's trailer. Her breath caught in her throat. Had she slept with Ethan? Not too long ago, the thought would have pleased her but now…now Emma would kill her, Laurel would never speak to her, Kristin would give her disapproving looks and Ethan would probably leave town.

Then she remembered. It hadn't been Ethan.

Dan appeared from the trailer's kitchen area, carrying two mugs of coffee. He had dressed in a t-shirt and shorts. He smiled when he saw she was awake. "Morning,"he greeted her, handing her one of the coffees and kissing her lightly on the lips before sitting down on what she assumed was his bed.

Sutton felt suddenly self-conscious, pulling the quilt up to cover as much of her body as possible. "Morning. I, er, guess some stuff happened last night then?"

Dan nodded, suddenly awkward. "I guess so."

"So, er, any idea what happens now then?"

Dan looked at her sorrowfully. "You're a seventeen-year-old schoolgirl and I'm a police officer. If your parents decide to make a complaint, losing my job is the least that would happen to me."

Sutton nodded. She'd been expecting something like that. She put the coffee down and shifted into a less relaxed position. "Well, don't worry, I won't tell anyone. We'll just forget it ever happened. If you pass me some clothes, I'll be on my way."

Dan took her hands in his, stopping her. He smiled at her fondly. "Sutton…I'm not sure when it happened but somewhere along the way you turned from a mean girl into a pretty good-hearted young woman. And these last few weeks, I've seen a lot in you that I like. Now, maybe you want to end this here, I get that I'm not much of a catch. But after Theresa, if there is a chance of us being happy here, then I'm not going to walk away from it because I'm scared. If there's consequences, then we'll deal with them later. So…do you think it's worth it?"

Sutton looked at him. Until the previous night, she'd never thought of him in that manner. But he was kind and gentle and, she had to admit, not bad looking. And at some point in the last few weeks, she'd started caring what happened to him. Maybe more than she'd realised. She nodded slowly. "I think it's worth a try. If you're willing to put up with Scottsdale's number one troublemaker."

Dan shook his head. "It's all forgotten. That's not the person you are anymore."

She leaned forward and kissed him, feeling a warmth in her chest as she did so that convinced her that it _was_ worth a try.

* * *

Thayer settled Laurel at her place at the kitchen table, placing a glass of fruit juice in front of her. "What did I do to deserve this?"she asked.

"Do I need a reason to spoil my girlfriend?"he returned. He obviously sounded sincere since it prompted a happy smile from her in exchange. He took a seat at right angles to her. "So, got any plans for today?"

Laurel gave him an enticing look. "Why? Did you have something in mind?"

Thayer found the prospect appealing but Rebecca was expecting him to report in. "I just wondered if you were seeing your dad."

Laurel sighed theatrically. "Well, I'll see him in the sense that he'll wander in, tell me what a terrible shift he's just worked and then go to bed for twelve hours."

"You're okay living with him, though? You wouldn't rather be living with your mum?"

"I'd rather be living with both my parents."

"But that's not going to happen?"

"Well, they did have lunch yesterday."

Thayer suddenly became alert. This was something Rebecca would be interested in, his getting the information might even make her more willing to keep her promises to him. "Are they getting back together?"

"They didn't say so but it's a step in the right direction, right?"

Thayer looked thoughtful. "I guess so."

* * *

Emma and Ethan emerged from the bedroom to find Kristin clearing her breakfast things away. She looked up as they approached. "I wasn't sure when you were getting up."

"We thought we'd better come out, since you offered breakfast,"Emma explained.

"Thanks for that,"Ethan added.

Kristin nodded, gesturing to the table. "Well, your places are set. I have to meet Evelyn at the club so I'll leave you to it. Give Sutton a knock if she hasn't surfaced by mid-morning."

"How awkward was that?"Emma asked Ethan once Kristin had gone.

"Actually, in the circumstances, not that awkward at all."

Emma had to agree with the assessment. "So, do you want some cereal?"

As they headed to the breakfast bar, Sutton entered the house behind them. She had a brief moment where she considered turning and running out of the house before deciding to ride it out. "Well, look at you two all up and out,"she greeted them. "Maybe I should have kept the same boyfriend for more than five minutes, then I'd be allowed sleepovers."

Emma looked at her in astonishment. "Didn't you come home last night?"

"Of course I came home last night. It's not like I've got anyone to take me off for quiet little nights at the cabin. I woke up wired and thought I'd go for a drive. Now if it's all right with you, I'm going to take a shower." She sauntered off towards the bathroom.

"Was she wearing those clothes yesterday?"Ethan asked.

Emma nodded. "You noticed that too."

* * *

Rebecca raised an eyebrow ironically as Thayer entered. "Have you finished playing with your little friend?"

"It's what you want me to do,"Thayer pointed out defensively.

"Only so long as it's useful to us."

Thayer sat down. "Well, get this. Ted had lunch with Kristin yesterday."

He watched the subtle reaction on Rebecca's impassive features. "He's getting back with her?"

"Not yet. But Laurel thinks he might."

"Kristin." Rebecca said the word with utter hatred. "Everything that should belong to me she takes. No matter what I do for Ted, he keeps going back to her."

Thayer shrugged. "Guess you'll just have to make yourself look like the better option."

"Perhaps." There was a sudden coldness in Rebecca's eyes which made even Thayer shiver. "Or I could just make sure Kristin's out of the way for good."

* * *

**End of Episode Seven**


	22. Episode 8 Chapter 1

**Thank you for the reviews! When I was trying to figure out who Sutton could be paired up with, Dan just leapt out at me. My mind works in strange ways sometimes. (And they did have that kind of bonding moment in the last episode so it's not _completely_ random...)**

* * *

**EPISODE EIGHT:** Home Invasion

**CHAPTER ONE**

Thayer was having sex with Rebecca.

It wasn't an unpleasant experience but the act was purely physical, feeling her body writhe under his as he thrust into her. He felt nothing of the joy of that one night with Emma or even the tenderness of making love to Laurel. It was just something they did to pass time or perhaps to corrupt each other even more than they already had been.

Finally, they climaxed and he rolled off her, both of them lying there, panting in exhaustion. "All that practise is doing you good,"Rebecca commented.

Thayer glared at her but said nothing. He was aware that he was sleeping with Laurel more than he needed to, more than simply maintaining his cover. The truth was he liked it and not just for physical reasons. There was a certain purity about her that he enjoyed being part of, even for just a little while. It helped him forget just how twisted his life had become.

"You know the plan for tonight?"Rebecca asked, businesslike as usual.

"I'll get the information that you want,"Thayer noted. "And make sure Laurel's out of the house. What about Emma and Sutton?"

"I'll deal with that,"Rebecca replied. "You just play your part." She noticed his worried look. "Oh, come on. I'm not going to hurt my daughters, am I? Just someone else."

* * *

"So have you figured out where Sutton's been sneaking off to for the last couple of weeks?"Ethan asked as he and Emma approached the trailer.

"No,"Emma admitted. "She's been a lot happier though."

"Guess it hasn't been easy on her, everyone else pairing off,"Ethan remarked.

Emma nodded in agreement. "Be great if she found someone."

They pushed open the door to the trailer and stepped inside. They were afforded a brief glimpse of two bodies entangled beneath a sheet on Dan's bench bed before Sutton and Dan realised they had company and sprang apart, pulling the sheets tight around them as they looked in shock at the two newcomers.

Emma and Ethan stepped out of the trailer, turned and walked back the way they'd come, neither of them able to meet the other's eye.

"Did we just walk in on my brother having sex with your sister?"Ethan asked in a detached, casual tone.

"I think we did,"Emma agreed, in the same tone of voice, still looking in the opposite direction to him.

"That's…unexpected."

"Uh-huh."

"What do you want to do to try and erase it from our memories?"

"Go to the cabin and have as much sex as we can?"Emma asked in the same detached manner.

"Sounds like a plan."

* * *

Rebecca leaned against her car in the hospital car park, in what she hoped was a seductive pose. She'd worn a dress that showed off her legs, which she knew were still mighty fine for her age. She hoped it would be enough to get Ted's attention. She noticed him heading towards the hospital and put on her biggest smile. "Hi, Ted!"she called.

He looked in her direction and she waved at him. It was enough to make him turn and head in her direction. "Hi, Rebecca,"he responded politely. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, remember what I said a couple of weeks back about the two of us spending time together? I wondered if you'd thought any more about that." She saw him hesitate, thinking about it, and went on before he had a chance to answer. "Because if you have, well, I've got a table for two booked tonight and the person I was going with has cancelled so I wondered if maybe you fancied having dinner with me?"

Ted was silent for a long time and for a moment she began to wonder if she'd misjudged things. But then he nodded. "Yeah, sure, that'd be fine. What time should I pick you up?"

"Half six?" He nodded in agreement. "See you then." As he walked away, Rebecca smiled to herself. That meant that two things were proceeding the way she wanted them to.

* * *

Emma had heard the movement from her twin's room and cautiously made her way there. She was greeted by the sight of Sutton folding clothes and putting them in her wardrobe. Sutton noticed her presence but studiously ignored her.

"Sutton…what I saw before,"Emma began cautiously.

"It's not a big deal,"Sutton claimed, still not looking at her.

"It _is_ a big deal,"Emma argued. "Or it should be." She sat down on Sutton's bed. "Do you love him?"

Sutton abandoned what she was doing and turned to face her sister. "I like him,"she said. She saw Emma's burgeoning list of disapproval and shook her head firmly. "That's a big deal for me,"she insisted as she sat down next to her. "I've been with guys. A _lot_ of guys. Got my fingers burnt when I was way too young. Only one I ever cared about after that was Ethan and even then I never opened up to him. Dan…Dan's probably the first one that I've ever really been honest with and who's been honest with me."

"What about Theresa?"Emma asked.

Sutton shrugged. "What about her?"

"A few months ago, he was going to marry her. What if he's not over her? And what about you?"

Sutton looked defensive, sensing the criticism. "What do you mean?"

"Well…he's Ethan's brother. Are you sure you're not…transferring the feelings or something?"

Sutton glared at her. "Given that both of the guys that have loved you loved me first…don't go there." The fire seemed to go out of her. "Emma, this is the first time in pretty much my whole life that I've found someone who makes me truly happy. Can you not ruin it?"

Emma took her hand. "If you're happy, then that's the important thing." But she couldn't help adding, "_If_ you're happy."

* * *

Dan was in the trailer, tidying, when Sutton arrived. He smiled at the sight of her. "Hey, how are you?"

"I spoke to Emma,"Sutton stated, deciding to cut out the preamble,"Or she spoke to me."

Dan nodded slowly. "What did she say?"

"Well, to start with, she wondered if you're over Theresa."

Dan sat down. "I'm not,"he said after a long pause. "Do I need to be?"

Sutton sat down next to him. "I don't know. Do you?"

"I think I'm always going to love her but that doesn't mean I can't love someone else." He looked at her seriously. "Sutton, I really care about you. And given how big a risk this is, I wouldn't be going into it if I wasn't serious. Are you okay with that?"

Sutton nodded and smiled. "More than okay." She kissed him briefly on the lips.

"I'm going to tell your parents,"Dan decided.

Sutton looked worried. "Are you sure?"

"Well, keeping it secret makes it look like what we're doing is wrong. Maybe if we're straight with them, they'll be okay with it. Better than them finding out some other way."

* * *

"So, about tonight,"Thayer remarked as he and Laurel headed up the stairs to the flat. "Are you doing anything?"

"Don't know. Dad's going to be home, he might want to do something together."

Thayer knew that if Rebecca's plan had worked then Ted would be otherwise occupied. Of course, he couldn't say that. "Well, I'm going be at the Diner so how about you join me if you've got nothing else on."

"Yeah, that sounds like…oh, hold on." Laurel had opened the door to the flat and now paused by the alarm box to key in the code.

"Ooh, numbers,"Thayer remarked once she'd finished. "I'm surprised you remember them all."

"Shut up!"Laurel protested.

"No, really. I mean, don't you get confused with the alarm code for your old house? Be really embarassing if you go round there and end up getting the police called out."

"I know both of them,"Laurel insisted.

"Okay, what's the code for your old house?"

Laurel sighed in frustration. "4501. Satisfied?"

"Yeah,"Thayer confirmed as he made a mental note of the number. "That'll do."


	23. Episode 8 Chapter 2

**CHAPTER TWO**

Emma headed down the drive from the house, relieved that for once the situation about to erupt inside was nothing to do with her but also slightly worried about how it was going to develop. She was so lost in thought that she didn't realise someone else was in the drive until she'd collided with them, dropping her bag in the process.

"Here, let me help you,"Rebecca offered, bending to pick them up.

Emma was too startled to object, crouching down herself to retrieve some of the items. Rebecca handed her the rest and she returned them to her bag before they both straightened up. "What are you doing here?"Emma asked.

Rebecca didn't answer the question. Instead she glanced past Emma up the drive. "Is that your dad's car?"

"Yes,"Emma admitted. "Look there's something going on that's really important to Sutton and you going in there is just going to make things worse so can you stay away for a while?"

Rebecca adopted an innocent expression. "Well, I'd never want to make things worse for Sutton." Emma nodded and headed off down the road. As she did, Rebecca opened her hand to reveal Emma's house keys, purloined during the confusion. "I got what I came for anyway."

* * *

Sutton and Dan were sitting at one end of the table, Kristin and Ted at the other. The latter pair's brows were furrowed in confusion, not least at Dan's presence. "So why did you want us both here?"Ted asked.

"We need to tell you something,"Sutton answered.

Kristin looked at Dan. "Is Sutton in some sort of trouble?"

"No, she's not." Dan shot Sutton a questioning look and she nodded in agreement. Cautiously, he took her hand, above the table so both of her parents could see. "We've…been seeing each other."

He took in their reactions. Ted looked concerned, Kristin seemed to be doing her best to hide her anger. "How long?"she asked.

"Two weeks,"Sutton explained.

"With Ethan having his friends over more, we began spending time together,"Dan continued. "We… found we like each other. I know this probably isn't the situation you wanted…"

"I…wouldn't really be doing my job as a parent if I wasn't concerned about this,"Ted admitted. "There's ten years between you, at your age that's a lot."

"I understand that, Mr. Mercer, Mrs. Mercer,"Dan responded, feeling the formal address was probably best in the circumstances. "But I care about your daughter a lot and I think she's a very special young woman. I'm not intending to hurt her. But if you have your concerns, then I guess you have to do what you think is best."

Kristin glanced sideways at Ted for a moment. "Given the state of our own relationship, I don't suppose we're in any place to pass judgement,"she conceeded.

Both Dan and Sutton let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you,"Dan responded.

"Unless you do hurt her,"Kristin continued. "In that case, I may have to reconsider."

* * *

Rebecca had put on her best blue dress. She paused in the doorway of the restaurant, seeing with satisfaction that most of the men present turned to stare at her and then quickly had to hide the fact from their dining partners. She picked out Ted, already seated at the table she'd booked. He got up to greet her, gesturing for her to take the other seat. "You look nice,"he complimented her.

She flashed him a winning smile. "Why, thank you, Ted."

"This is just dinner as friends?"he checked as they took their seats.

"Of course. You could have brought Emma and Sutton along and made it a family outing." She smiled so he'd think she was joking.

Ted laughed obligingly. "Well, Emma's going to the movies with Ethan and Sutton's…seeing Dan."

Rebecca raised an eyebrow. "Dan? As in Ethan's older brother?" Ted nodded. "And you're all right with that?"

Ted spread his hands helplessly. "Not really a lot you can do to change Sutton's mind once it's made up. They told us this afternoon."

"Ah, so that's the family crisis Emma wanted me to stay out of. So Kristin's at home on her own?"

"I think so."

Rebecca closed her menu. "Order the prawn cocktail for me for starter, will you? I just need to use the restroom." She waited until she was round the corner from the table, looked back to make sure Ted wasn't paying her any attention, then took out a mobile and keyed in a number. "You're on."

* * *

Emma kept shooting Sutton looks as Sutton drove them along the desert road, an amused look on her face. It was when she did it for about the twentieth time, the same knowing smile on her face, that Sutton finally snapped. "Will you stop doing that?!"

"Sorry,"Emma replied with a smile. "I just can't get my head around it. You and Dan."

"Yes, me and Dan. Deal."

"Just…how did that happen?"

"The same usual normal way it always happens. Do not ask me for details."

Emma regarded her for a moment. "You look happy,"she remarked.

Sutton gave a non-committal shrug. "So?"

"It looks good on you."

Sutton couldn't resist giving a smile. "It feels good too,"she admitted.

* * *

Dan was setting the table in the trailer for a meal for two. His concentration was not helped by the fact that Ethan was grinning at him the whole time. "Have you got something to say?"he asked at last.

"You and Sutton Mercer,"Ethan replied. "You are dating Sutton Mercer. The biggest troublemaker in town. The girl that you kept warning me not to go within a country mile of because she was gonna be a bad influence and get me into trouble." He grinned even wider. "You realise if she buys you a drink you're gonna have to arrest her?"

"Any more comments like that and you're gonna find that there are worse places to be living than this trailer."

They were, perhaps fortunately, interrupted by the arrival of Emma and Sutton. Emma went over to Ethan and greeted him with a kiss. Throwing aside any feelings of self-consciousness, Sutton did the same to Dan before turning to her twin. "So, do you kids have anywhere to go?"

"I don't think you know how much it means to me to have you as my sister-in-law twice over,"Ethan remarked.

Emma was rooting through her bag, suddenly preoccupied. "I don't have my keys."

Sutton shrugged. "Well, that was dumb of you."

"I don't want to have to wake Kristin up when we get back…" She turned to Ethan. "Do you mind if we drop by the house on the way so I can pick them up?"

Ethan nodded. "Sure."

* * *

Kristin poured herself a glass of wine. She still hadn't quite got used to being alone in the evening. Usually Ted had been home or, if he wasn't, at least one of the girls had been around. Certainly, she had never spent a night alone in the house. But with Ted and Laurel no longer living there and both Emma and Sutton finding other places to spend the night, she feared that day was soon coming.

She heard the sound of a door elsewhere in the house and her expression became puzzled. Had someone come home early or called round unexpectedly? "Sutton? Emma? Is that you?"she called, heading in the direction of the noise.

That was when two men appeared, dressed in black and wearing balaclava masks. All she could see of them was their eyes and mouths. The eyes were entirely devoid of warmth.

"Who are you?"she asked, backing away. "What do you want?"

They said nothing. They just advanced on her.

* * *

Ethan stopped his bike at the end of the driveway, allowing Emma to dismount and hand him her helmet. "I won't be long,"she told him. "Wait here."

She hurried up the drive to the house, relieved to find the door unlocked. She hurried into the living area…and that was when she saw them. Kristin, backed up against the bar, one of the men holding her from behind, the other with his hands around her throat as she struggled uselessly.

"Leave her alone!"Emma shouted. She ran towards the melee, trying to remember some long ago self-defence lessons. She kicked the one who had his hands around Kristin's throat in the stomach, leaving him slightly winded and causing him to break his grip.

The other one threw Kristin aside and punched Emma in the face, then the stomach, then the face again, the viciousness of the assault knocking her to the ground. She felt up her hands in front of her in a desperate attempt at protection. "Don't hit me!"she screamed in terror. "I'm pregnant! I'm pregnant!" Her words had no effect on the man. His fists struck down at her again.

Ethan, having heard Emma's first shout, came thundering into the room. His entrance was enough to put the men to flight. One of them ran past him, elbowing him in the ribs as he did so and knocking him aside. The second one was only a step behind him, shoving Ethan when he was already off balance and causing him to tumble down the short flight of steps.

"Call an ambulance!"Kristin shouted and Ethan looked up. He saw her cradling Emma, who lay unmoving, blood seeping from a wound on her forehead.

"Call an ambulance!"Kristin shouted again, shaking Ethan out of his shocked paralysis. He keyed the number into his phone, silently praying that it wouldn't be too late.


	24. Episode 8 Chapter 3

**CHAPTER THREE**

Laurel lined up her shot, leaning across the pool table, and played the ball. Since the ball she was aiming at was virtually on the pocket, she could scarcely miss and, to her relief, she managed to avoid potting the cue ball as well. She turned and gave Thayer a cheeky smile. "Aren't you glad I made it down here?"

"Guess we have to thank Rebecca for taking your dad out,"Thayer remarked.

Laurel's mood darkened. "Yeah. Can't say I'm too happy about that one. But given that he's not making a fuss about any of our relationships, I don't suppose we can complain about his." Her grin returned. "Hey, maybe we'll get lucky and they'll have a terrible time."

"It's your shot again,"Thayer reminded her.

Laurel was about to answer him when her mobile rang. "Hang on a moment,"she told him as she answered it. "Sutton, what's up?...What? Well, is she all right?...Okay, we'll be right down there."

"Is everything all right?"Thayer asked, aware of what Rebecca had been planning and having a fair idea what the call had been about.

But the words Laurel said next caused the bottom to fall out of his world. "Emma's in hospital."

* * *

Laurel and Thayer hurried down the corridor to where Ethan, Sutton, Jordan and Mads were sitting. "Where is she?"Laurel asked anxiously.

"The doctor's looking at her,"Mads explained. "Your mum's in with her."

"Has anyone called Dad?"

Ethan nodded. "Yeah, he's on his way."

"What about Rebecca?"Thayer asked.

Jordan's expression hardened. "What about her?"

"She was with Ted."

Jordan looked in shock at Ethan, who just spread his hands. "He didn't mention her."

Laurel sat down on the same side of the corridor as Jordan and Mads, facing Ethan and Sutton. "Is Dan here?"

"He was with me when Ethan called,"Sutton replied,"but once he dropped me off here he went to the police station. He wanted to try and track down the people that did this."

Laurel was still confused. "What actually happened?"

"I only walked in on the end of it,"Ethan admitted. "But from what Kristin said to the police, a couple of men broke into the house and attacked her. Emma and I went back to the house to get her keys, I waited outside, Emma walked in on them, one of them was strangling Kristin. Emma got him away from her but then they started beating Emma. I heard her scream and went in and they ran off."

Thayer had had his heart in his mouth throughout the description. "They broke in?"

"Well, technically not,"Ethan corrected himself. "The place must have been unlocked."

It was at that moment that Ted and Rebecca came hurrying up. "What's going on?"Rebecca demanded. "How is she?"

"She's still being looked after,"Sutton explained.

"I'll see what's going on,"Ted decided, making a move for the examination room.

Sutton stood up and blocked Ted's path. "The doctors are with her, Mum's with her,"she said quietly. "They'll tell us when there's news." Ted looked like he was going to argue for a moment, then gave a nod of acceptance.

Rebecca coughed. "Ah, I just have to make some calls."

Ethan had got up during the brief exchange and walked a short way in the direction of the examination room, pausing just out of earshot of the others. Sutton went over to him. "You're not blaming yourself, are you?"she asked.

"Yeah but it's not just that. When I came in, I heard Emma shouting something." He paused. "She said she was pregnant."

Sutton's eyes widened in shock.

* * *

Thayer had waited a few moments to make sure his absence wouldn't arouse suspicion, then wandered away from the group, heading in the same direction Rebecca had gone. He found her in a deserted corridor, talking into her phone. "You were supposed to get rid of Kristin, not rough up my daughter!"she was snapping. "Did you leave the keys on the side like I told you to?...Well, at least that's something. Now get out of town and don't let me hear from you again."

"What the hell did you do?"Thayer demanded.

Rebecca turned to him, her expression unapologetic. "Exactly what I said."

"You used the code I got for you to get those men into Kristin's house. Were they actually going to kill her?"

"Kill her, give her a scare, I wasn't really that bothered."

"And Emma? Are you bothered about what happened to her?"

He expected the mask to slip for a moment but there was no difference in her demeanour at all. "She shouldn't have interfered. If she chooses the wrong side, then she's going to pay the price."

Thayer grabbed Rebecca and pushed her up against the wall, his arm across her throat, getting a small satisfaction in seeing the momentary look of fear in her eyes. "If you ever hurt Emma again, I'll kill you."

* * *

The female doctor stood next to the bed. Emma was sitting up, or at least managing to slouch slightly, a plaster on the cut on her forehead. Kristin was sitting on the bed. "You're very lucky,"the doctor remarked. "The worst you've got is a mild concussion. We'll keep you in for observation for a few hours but after that we should be able to discharge you." She turned to Kristin. "Are you sure you don't want someone to check you over?"

Kristin shook her head. "The other doctor had a brief look at me and Ethan when we came in. Just a few cuts and bruises."

"Okay. Well, I can tell your other visitors they can come in…"

"I'll do it,"Kristin stated. "I want to have a word with Emma first."

The doctor gave an understanding nod and left them alone.

Kristin looked at Emma in concern. "Emma…you said something back at the house, do you remember? Are you..?"

Emma shook her head quickly. "No, I, er, just said that so they'd stop hitting me. Pretty dumb, huh?"

"You could have been killed,"Kristin told her, part concerned, part scolding.

"So could you,"Emma pointed out.

Kristin nodded slowly. "You saved my life,"she said quietly. "That's quite a gift for a child to give a parent." Emma's eyes lit up as she realised what Kristin was saying. Kristin herself seemed to realise it too. She took the girl's hand. "I love you, Emma,"she told her.

Emma smiled. "I love you too."

* * *

Kristin came out of the room to find a large group gathered in the corridor. She noticed Rebecca's presence but couldn't be bothered to query it. "She's going to be all right,"she told them. The pronouncement brought a series of sighs of relief and various pairs hugging each other: Jordan and Mads, Laurel and Thayer, Ethan and Sutton. Rebecca seemed to be debating whether to hug Ted but before she could attempt it he'd gone over to Kristin.

"Are _you_ all right?"he asked, taking hold of her arms gently.

Kristin shook her head. "I was sure I locked the door and set the alarm but I can't have done. If Emma hadn't have come home…"

No-one noticed Thayer shoot a look of distaste at Rebecca. Even Rebecca herself wasn't looking at him.

"Can we go in?"Mads asked.

Kristin nodded and the group began filing past her. She looked queryingly at Rebecca. "Hey, I am her mother,"Rebecca pointed out.

Kristin looked away from her to address the whole group. "We can't stay long, though. She needs rest."

Ethan and Sutton stopped near Kristin. "What she said before..?"Ethan asked.

Kristin shook her head. "She was making it up."

Ethan gave a sigh of relief and joined the others.

* * *

Emma struggled to sit up as the large crowd piled into her room but couldn't manage it. "Surprise!"Laurel greeted her.

"How are you?"Mads asked in concern.

"Glad to see you're looking well!"Rebecca called from near the back of the group.

"How are you feeling, honey?"Ted contributed.

Emma managed a smile. "I'm doing okay."

Ethan was standing nearest her and took her hand. "Just don't scare us like that again, okay?"

"You should have seen this one,"Jordan remarked. "Anyone would think he was in love with you."

"I think we should all let Emma get some rest now,"Kristin suggested, ushering the group towards the door.

"Ah, I just want to chat to Emma alone for a moment,"Sutton noted. No-one objected. Ethan kissed Emma on the top of the head and followed the others out.

Sutton looked expectantly at her twin. "All right. Confession time."

"What do you mean?"Emma asked awkwardly.

"I mean I know that body. I've got one just like it. And I know when you're lying. I've seen you do it often enough." She looked hard at Emma, who met her gaze nervously. "You're pregnant, aren't you?"

* * *

**End of Episode Eight**


	25. Episode 9 Chapter 1

**Thank you for all the reviews! Sorry if people weren't happy about the direction the plot went in the last episode, you, er, probably won't like this one either. (I have to admit I was always more interested in the character storylines than the mysteries, which tended to get in the way a bit.)**

**Anyone worried about this story going on hiatus will probably be relieved to know I finished writing it last night. Given that we're near the end, I think I'll stick to posting an episode each weekend.**

* * *

**EPISODE NINE:** Decent Proposal

**CHAPTER ONE**

"I don't know if I'm pregnant,"Emma admitted. She and Sutton were sat in her room back at the house. Emma sat on the bed with Mads and Laurel on either side of her, Sutton reclining on a chair in front of them.

"But you might be?"Mads asked.

Emma nodded then glanced at Laurel. "And before you ask, it's definitely not Thayer's."

Laurel held up her hands in a gesture of surrender. "Hey, I wasn't even thinking it."

"So what makes you think you're pregnant?"Sutton asked.

Emma shrugged. "I'm late."

"And that's it?"

"Well, isn't that enough?"

Sutton seemed to mull the question over. "It's an indication but might be sensible for you to do a test. I mean, that is what they're there for. Could just be stress, you've been having a lot of that lately."

"And whatever happens,"Mads put in, gripping Emma's hand firmly,"we're here for you."

"Are you gonna tell Mum and Dad?"Laurel asked. "Or Ethan?"

"Tell them what?"Emma replied. "I mean, we don't know until we've done the test, right?" She gave Laurel a hopeful look and Laurel nodded obligingly. "Maybe we should just keep it between us until we know for sure."

Sutton punched the air in an ironic fashion. "Go, sisterhood."

* * *

Sutton and Laurel walked down the drive from the front of the house. "Are you sure it's smart for you to be buying the test?"Sutton asked.

Laurel shrugged. "What's the worst that can happen, people think it's for me?"

"Well, dur, yeah."

"Better than them thinking it's for Emma." She noticed Sutton's bewildered look and sighed. "You know what I mean. I'm not pregnant so it doesn't matter if they think I am. If they think Emma's pregnant, then they might be right."

Sutton's eyebrows had been getting higher and higher on her forehead during the speech. "And you know the crazy thing? That actually did make a sort of sense."

"You could always come with me, really confuse them."

Sutton shook her head. "No, there's something else I need to sort out."

* * *

Ethan was emerging from the trailer when Sutton drove up outside. He looked at her in confusion. "Dan's not here."

"That's okay, it was you I came to see."

"Oh. Okay." Ethan stood still for a few moments, not sure how to react, before attempting "Why?"

Sutton took a deep breath. "Because Emma might be pregnant. And if she is, then it's yours."

Ethan stared at her long and hard, unsure how to react. "Might be?"he repeated, picking up on the detail.

Sutton nodded. "She's going to take a test. And…she'd probably want you to be there."

"Right,"Ethan answered. But he was still too shell-shocked to say anything else.

Sutton sighed. "I just thought you should know, that's all." She got back in the car and drove away.

* * *

When Emma heard someone outside her bedroom, she was expecting it to be Laurel or Sutton. Maybe Mads coming to check on her or even Kristin if she'd come home. She wasn't expecting it to be Ethan.

"Sutton came to see me,"he explained. "She said you might be pregnant."

Emma nodded slowly. "It's not definite yet but…"

Ethan shook his head, still struggling to deal with the situation. "How can you be pregnant? I mean…I know what we did but…"

"We haven't always been careful,"Emma reminded him.

Ethan looked at her in shock. "You mean you weren't taking any precautions?"

Emma was equally shocked. "Why would I? You know I haven't had this sort of relationship before."

"Well, we both know that's not true."

Emma was stung by the comment. She knew she'd made a mistake with Thayer but Ethan had made far bigger mistakes. She wasn't expecting him to throw it back at her. "Why don't you go the whole way and ask me if it's yours or not?"

Ethan didn't take the bait but his response wasn't any more encouraging. He shook his head and turned towards the door. "I can't handle this right now."

"Neither can I!"Emma retorted. "But I don't have a choice!"

Ethan paused at the door but didn't look back. "I'll call you later,"he said at last before leaving her alone.

Emma sat down on the bed and put her head in her hands.


	26. Episode 9 Chapter 2

**Thank you for the reviews! Sorry if people are impatient for me to get the whole of this story uploaded but think of it as creating suspense...**

* * *

**CHAPTER TWO**

Ethan had been sat outside the trailer for quite some time when Dan emerged. "I didn't know you'd come back,"Dan remarked. He noticed Ethan's pensive mood. "What's up?"

Ethan sighed. "Have you ever had one of those moments when you realise you've just made the biggest mistake of your life?"

"A few. Why what have you done?"

Ethan's eyes alighted on the approaching car. "You'll find out in a minute."

Sutton skidded to a halt in front of them and clambered out of the car, storming towards Ethan with fury in her eyes. "I don't believe you! I told you because I thought you'd make things better, that you and Emma would deal with this together! Not that you'd make things worse! I left her crying her eyes out because she thinks she's on her own in all this. She is the best thing that's ever happened to you – and you know how much it pains me to say that – and you don't deserve her."

Ethan looked at her for a moment, then walked away round the side of the trailer.

Sutton seemed to notice Dan's presence for the first time and gave him an apologetic smile. "Sorry."

Dan shrugged. "Well, he didn't argue with you so I'm guessing he deserved it. Do you want to explain it to me?"

Sutton sighed. "I've already told one person I probably shouldn't have. If Ethan wants you to know, he'll tell you himself." She hovered for a moment, unsure how to proceed. "I'd better get back to Emma," she said at last, giving him a kiss on the cheek then heading back to her car.

Dan walked in the same direction Ethan had taken and found his younger brother crouched on the floor. "Well?"

"Sutton told me that Emma might be pregnant,"Ethan explained. "So I went round there and pretty much told her it was all down to her." He saw Dan's disapproving look and sighed. "I know. I'm a jerk."

"Well, parenting's a big deal. It was a pretty big shock to the system when I found myself responsible for you. No-one's gonna judge you that harshly because you didn't say the right things when you first heard. But you've got to think really long and hard about what you're going to do next."

"I don't want to lose Emma,"Ethan replied. "I want to be there for her. But…I'm not sure I'm ready to be a dad."

"Well, you said it's not definite at this stage, right?"Dan asked. Ethan nodded. "So maybe you don't have to worry about that. What you need to focus on right now is finding a way to show that girl how much she means to you."

* * *

Laurel hovered in the doorway of the bedroom. Emma was lying on the bed, facing away from her, sobbing. Laurel had tried her best to comfort her but she was on her own and fighting a losing battle. Emma didn't need a little sister right now, she needed someone who would hug her and tell her everything was going to be okay.

Laurel headed back into the living area, picked up the phone and dialled the number. "Dad? It's Laurel. I'm at Mum's place. It's Emma. She…she might be pregnant, Ethan's upset her, I've tried to get her to take a test to find out but she's just too upset, I don't know where Sutton is, I think…I think she needs a parent. Can you come here, Dad? Please?"

"What did you say?"

Laurel turned at the voice and found Kristin standing behind her. "Just get round here, Dad,"she finished, ending the call and turning to her mother. "Emma might be pregnant."

"Where is she?"

"In her room."

Kristin nodded. "I'll talk to her."

Laurel couldn't help feeling nervous. If she had thought she was pregnant, Kristin would be the first person she'd turn to. But this would be Ted and Rebecca's grandchild and she had no idea how Kristin would react to that. "Er, what are you going to say?"

But Kristin was already on her way towards Emma's room. "I'll let you know."

* * *

Rebecca had been framing what she was going to say as she approached Ted's flat. She was slightly taken aback when Ted emerged and headed towards his car, seemingly in a hurry. She quickened her pace. The last thing she needed was him driving off before she had a chance to speak to him. She gave him her most winning smile, even though he was barely looking at her. "Hi! I just wondered if you were doing anything…"

Ted glanced up briefly. "I've got to get to the house. It's Emma."

"Emma?" A small part of Rebecca was concerned but a larger part was thinking it was the perfect opening. "Is she all right?"

"I don't know, I got a call from Laurel. She said Emma might be pregnant."

"Pregnant?" That was something Rebecca hadn't been planning at all but she could work with it. "Well, I'll come with you."

Ted shook his head. "No, it's best we don't crowd her. I think Kristin's there."

"Kristin?" Rebecca struggled to avoid losing control. "But Kristin isn't her mother."

Ted seemed oblivious to the reason for Rebecca's comment. "She's been really great with her since she's been living there, Emma trusts her. Look, I'll let you know what happens but I've got to get off."

As he drove away, he didn't notice Rebecca's eyes blazing with fury.


	27. Episode 9 Chapter 3

**Thank you for the reviews! Which were..._mostly_ positive... And welcome aboard to anyone who's just joined this fic.**

* * *

**CHAPTER THREE**

"What the hell have you been doing this last month?"Rebecca demanded as she stormed into the house.

Thayer looked at her, bewildered. "What you told me to."

"What I told you to? What I told you to do was make sure that Emma and Sutton accepted me as their mother, that Ted realised I was his family, not Kristin. And what do I find? That Emma might be pregnant and guess who's holding her hand, acting like her mother? Kristin."

Thayer had tuned out most of Rebecca's rant, instead focusing on the one phrase. "Emma might be pregnant?"

Rebecca looked at him scornfully. "Oh, you wish that it was yours, do you? That you'd managed to get her pregnant before she realised you weren't worth a second fumble? Well, you could always try and get your perky little plaything pregnant instead, it's not like you seem that bothered which one you go after. You've slept with all three Mercer girls and the mother of two of them. Why don't you go after Kristin and complete the set? That would be more useful than anything you've done so far."

Thayer could feel his anger rising. "You agreed to this. I help you get Ted and the girls back, you help me get Emma back."

"Right, because what I've always wanted for my daughter is for her to end up with a pathetic little psycho like you. You manage to make a no-hoper like Ethan seem like a catch and that's saying something. If you're useful to me, then you might stand a chance. But at the moment, I think I'm going to be better off managing things my own way."

* * *

Emma was sat on her bed, cuddling up to Kristin. "You know the really sad thing?"she asked. "I actually dreamed about being pregnant with Ethan's child. About us being a family together. Doing all the things I never got to do with my parents. Pretty dumb, huh?"

"It might still happen,"Kristin said gently.

Emma shook her head. "Not now. Not after what he said."

"You might change your mind after a bit. He might as well. It's an overwhelming thing, having a child, being a parent." Kristin released Emma so she could look the girl in the eye. "Did Sutton ever tell you about the way I was when she was born?"

"No."

"I was lost. I wanted to be a good mother so badly but I was scared of letting her down, of getting it wrong. So I panicked, thought of sending her back, giving up. All of us get scared sometimes, don't think badly of Ethan because being a parent scares him. I think that the two of you, together, would do a very good job." She gently brushed a hair away from Emma's face and smiled at her.

Ted appeared in the doorway and gently knocked on the door. "Hey, Laurel said for me to come through. Am I interrupting?"

"No, it's all right,"Kristin reassured him.

Ted looked at Emma. "Are you..?"

"I don't know, I haven't taken the test yet."

Ted sat down next to her. "Well, don't you think you should? I mean, at least then we'll know what we're dealing with."

Emma glanced at Kristin, who nodded in agreement. "Okay,"she acknowledged. "I'll do it now." She headed towards the bathroom.

Ted and Kristin were left alone. "Laurel thought that Emma needed a parent,"Ted explained.

"I heard,"Kristin responded.

"It looked to me like…she already had one."

The comment seemed to break down the barriers. Kristin stopped trying to act formal and sighed. "I try so hard to remember that she's not really mine but…it's difficult. It feels as though she is. Do you ever think what would have happened if we'd brought them both up, her and Sutton, together?"

Ted shrugged. "Alec thought we wouldn't have coped. That's why he kept her a secret."

"I think you cope if you have to. If they'd both been relying on us, we'd have found that strength for them somehow." She sighed. "I hope we would have done, anyway."

* * *

Sutton and Laurel were sitting on the sofa in the living area, waiting nervously. "Do you think they're all right in there?"Laurel asked. "Mum and Dad together can be a bit of an explosive combination."

"Well, it's a better move than me sending Ethan to talk to her,"Sutton sighed. "I really thought he'd help her but instead…"

"He might come round,"Laurel suggested helpfully.

Sutton sniffed. "He'd better."

It was at that moment that Emma, Ted and Kristin emerged from the bedroom, Emma walking between and slightly behind the two adults. Sutton and Laurel quickly scrambled to their feet. "Well?"Laurel asked.

Emma was silent. "The test was negative,"Kristin answered for her.

Sutton looked closely at Emma. "Well…that's good, right?"

"Yeah, it's good,"Emma confirmed. "It means I don't have to end up as a single mother after my boyfriend abandoned me. I…I think I'm going to lay down for a bit." She turned and headed back to her room, leaving her family looking after her helplessly.

* * *

Emma stayed in her room for the next several hours. Even Kristin's invitation to join her and Sutton for dinner was turned down, with Emma accepting a couple of pieces of fruit to keep her strength up. It became dark outside and everyone else retired to bed but Emma remained lying on the bed, still dressed and with the light on. Which was when she heard the knock. Not from her bedroom door but from the glass door leading outside.

Emma swung herself off the bed. She opened the door and looked hard at Ethan. "Can I come in?"he asked.

Emma sighed and stood aside, allowing him in. "What do you want, Ethan?"

"To say I'm sorry. I get that this isn't just your responsibility, it's mine too. I'm going to be there for you, I want to be."

"I'm not pregnant, Ethan. The test was negative."

Ethan paused. "Well, I won't pretend I'm not relieved. But that doesn't make any difference. I'm here for you, whenever you need me." He sensed that Emma wasn't convinced. "Emma, please. After everything we've been through to get here, don't throw it away just because I was an idiot."

Emma could see he was sincere but his walking away from her was still fresh in her mind. "Ethan, I don't know."

"I'm going to be there, Emma, all the time, from now on. You and me. That's the way it's meant to be, isn't it?" He stared hard at her for a moment. "I'll prove it to you." He reached into his back pocket and removed a small jewellery box, going down on one knee in front of her.

Emma looked at him in shock. He wasn't really… "Ethan, what are you doing?"

Ethan took a deep breath and opened the box to reveal the engagement ring. "Emma Mercer, will you marry me?"

* * *

**End of Episode Nine**


	28. Episode 10 Chapter 1

**Thank you, everyone, for your continued support. Nearing the end now...**

* * *

**EPISODE TEN:** There's Murder on the Dance Floor

**CHAPTER ONE**

"To Emma and Ethan,"declared Ted as everyone present clinked their champagne glasses together.

Emma and Ethan blushed under the attention of the rest of the group: Ted, Kristin, Dan, Sutton, Laurel, Mads and Jordan. "Thank you,"Emma said quietly.

"So have you set a date yet?"Laurel asked enthusiastically.

"Well, we think we might finish school first,"Ethan noted.

"A very wise decision,"Ted replied approvingly.

"Seconded,"Dan agreed.

"Can I be bridesmaid when you do?"Laurel went on, her enthusiasm undiminished.

Emma glanced awkwardly at Sutton and Mads. "Well, I've certainly got a lot of people to choose from."

"I guess your sisters should come first,"Mads suggested.

"No, no,"Laurel went on,"this is perfect. Ethan can have Dan as his best man and he can partner Sutton, then Jordan can be groomsman and partner Mads…Any chance you can have Thayer in your party?"

Ethan actually couldn't think of anyone he'd like less but he wasn't going to dampen Laurel's mood. "I'll think about it."

"Maybe Dan and Sutton could get married as well and you could all have a double wedding?"Jordan suggested.

Sutton sighed. "Wow, now things are awkward."

Laurel clapped her hands together in delight. "We should have a party."

There was an awkward silence. "Well, yes, we could,"Kristin agreed.

"Tomorrow,"Laurel decided. "We can have it here, Mum can sort the food, I can sort the invites…" She gave an infectious grin. "It'll be so much fun!"

* * *

Thayer answered the door to find Laurel there. She skipped past him into the house, grinning broadly. "I have got the best news ever."

Thayer did his best to stop his true feelings from showing. "Emma's pregnant?"

Laurel looked at him in surprise. "How did you know about that?"

Sometimes the truth was the easiest answer. "Ted mentioned it to Rebecca."

Laurel nodded. "No, that was a false alarm. Emma and Ethan are getting married!"

Thayer's hopes, raised a moment earlier, were suddenly dashed. "What?"he asked weakly.

Laurel was oblivious to his mood. "I know, isn't it great? We're holding an engagement party tomorrow night, you'll be there, won't you?" Thayer managed a wooden nod and Laurel kissed him lightly on the lips. "I have got so much to organise. See you later!" She hurried out.

Rebecca emerged from the direction of the kitchen, her face full of cold fury. "Did I just hear right?"

Thayer's fury matched hers. "How can she marry that idiot?"

Rebecca's anger finally boiled over. "You're feeling affronted? You just got invited to her engagement party! Where's my invite? I'm her mother!" She raised her clenched fists and began thumping them against Thayer's chest. "They are my family and they treat me like I'm nothing! And what good are you for? You were meant to be helping me and you've done nothing! Nothing!"

Thayer swept her away with his arm, knocking her to the ground. She looked up at him as though expecting an apology. But he was done with apologising to her. He looked back at her without a shred of remorse.

Rebecca got to her feet. "You'll pay for that. You'll all pay."

Then she left the house for the last time.

* * *

Thayer headed up to his room. He swept the top of his cabinet clean with an angry blow. What had it all been for? Everything he'd done to make Emma like him, the depths he'd sunk to, these last few months working for Rebecca, had it all been for nothing? Was he going to have to stand back and let her marry a loser like Ethan?

Then a thought struck him. His eyes alighted on the box under his bed. He pulled it out and opened it, revealing the rusty metal bar. The bar he'd killed Theresa with. He'd kept it hidden all this time but now it suddenly felt appropriate to use it again. Theresa would have kept him away from Emma so he'd killed her. Now Ethan was doing the same and he would have to die too. And eventually Emma would realise what a lucky escape she'd had and come to him.

Thayer suddenly felt a lot more positive about the future.


	29. Episode 10 Chapter 2

**CHAPTER TWO**

Emma stood with Sutton in the middle of the house, watching people milling around. Somehow Kristin and Laurel had managed to pull together most of her classmates and a good number of their parents. Most of them had stopped by Emma to congratulate her, with the result that Ethan had quickly found a reason to disappear on her rather than join her in making polite chit-chat to virtual strangers. A few of the guests had headed straight for the buffet. Ted had greeted her with a quick kiss on the cheek and "Congratulations, honey" before disappearing into the crowd.

"I never knew you were this popular,"Sutton remarked sardonically.

Emma gave her a brief smile, then noticed a familiar face pushing her way towards them. "Is that Char?"

Char appeared out of the crowd, a big grin on her face and looked at them both. "Wow, there really are two of you!" She gestured to them in turn. "Emma and Sutton, right?"

Even though it was probably more luck than judgement that she'd got it right, Emma nodded in confirmation.

Char looked at Emma. "So, you were the one we got elected Homecoming Queen and when I thought Ethan had cheated on you with someone called Emma, that was actually you?"

"To be fair, Ethan did cheat on me with Emma,"Sutton pointed out.

Char turned to Sutton. "And you…" She stopped, looking confused. "Which one were you?"

Sutton raised her eyebrows. "I'm the one you knew for the previous sixteen years."

Char was completely oblivious to the sarcasm. "Right!" She gave another grin and hugged Sutton enthusiastically, leaving her even more bemused. "Good to see you again!" She looked from one to the other. "So, are we really cousins?"

Emma shrugged helplessly. "I guess so."

* * *

Ethan stood outside, near the swimming pool, taking grateful lungfuls of air. While he understood how important the party was to Emma and appreciated that the two of them had been fully accepted, he still didn't feel comfortable either at formal occasions or surrounded by the great and the good of Scottsdale.

Thayer watched him from the undergrowth nearby. He hadn't expected this to be easy but here was Ethan, on his own, with his back to him, unaware of his presence. It would be the work of a moment to strike him down and no-one would ever know. He took a step forward, bracing himself for the swing.

"There you are!"Emma called as she came out of the house. Thayer instantly shrank back into hiding. Killing Ethan in front of Emma would definitely do him no favours.

"Sorry, I just needed some fresh air,"Ethan noted.

Emma stepped up behind him, putting her arms around his waist and resting her head on his shoulder. "I get what you mean but people are starting to wonder where my husband-to-be is."

Ethan nodded. "Okay, let's go meet and greet." He offered her his arm and they headed back inside together, neither of them aware of Thayer watching them with resentment.

* * *

Laurel and Mads were at the buffet, filling up their plates. "Have you seen Thayer?"Laurel asked.

Mads shook her head. "I haven't seen him all day."

"Me neither. But when I spoke to him yesterday, he said he'd come. Maybe he got held up somehow."

Before Mads could answer, they were interrupted by a commotion behind them, shouts and screams. They turned round and saw Rebecca standing on her own in front of a small group. Emma, Sutton, Ted and Ethan were all there. But it was Kristin that Rebecca was pointing the gun at.

"Nice party you've got here, Kristin,"Rebecca was saying. There was an unstable edge to her voice that no-one present had heard before. The cool and calculating Rebecca they'd become used to was gone. "You've done the happy couple proud. You seem to have missed one guest off the list though. The mother of the bride. Or perhaps you intended to fill that role yourself?"

"Rebecca, I…"Kristin attempted.

"Shut up!"Rebecca snapped. "All my life you've taken everything I want. Ted, Alec, my daughters, all of them love you more than me. Well you're not going to do it anymore!"

Rebecca fired but as she did someone else stepped in front of Kristin. Ted. He let out a gasp of pain at the impact. Then he turned to Kristin, his left hand at his abdomen as he tried to stem the spreading patch of blood. "I'm sorry,"he told her, his voice choking as the blood restricted his airway. "I'm so sorry for all of it. I love you." Kristin reached out to take his hand but before she could do so he fell, lying dead at her feet.

"No!"Rebecca shouted in fury and anguish. For a moment, she looked like she was going to collapse in tears but then the gun was up and pointing at Kristin again.

This time it was Emma that stepped between them. She saw Ethan tense up, as though he was going to intervene, and she gestured for him to stay out of it. She looked Rebecca in the eye. "Mum? It's all right. You don't want this. You don't want to hurt us. Just put the gun down and we can talk, okay? We can work out how to be a family."

For a moment, Rebecca's resolve wavered then her face hardened again. "Nice try, Emma. But we both know this isn't about me. You're just trying to protect her. Saint Kristin. You'd rather be her daughter than mine? Fine."

Emma saw Rebecca's finger tighten on the trigger and realised to her horror that she'd miscalculated. She waited to hear the fire of the gun and feel the impact of the bullet. Instead, there was a sickening crunch. Rebecca gave a gasp. Her eyes widened in shock for a minute and then went dead. And then she fell to reveal Thayer standing behind her and the wound on the back of her head where his blow had caved in her skull.

Emma opened her mouth to thank him but the words died in her throat as she saw what Thayer had hit Rebecca with. A rusty metal bar. Connections flew through her brain, impossible thoughts that she couldn't quite form into coherence.

"I saved you, Emma,"Thayer told her, a manic desperation to his voice. "I did it all for you. So we could be together. That's why I killed them. It was the only way to make you see you belonged with me."

Dan was reaching the same conclusion that Emma had, as were several others present. She heards Mads gasp in shock, saw Char and Laurel gaping at the scene in horror. Dan was reaching for his gun but Emma kept her eyes fixed on Thayer. Reason hadn't worked on Rebecca but something told her Thayer was still within her reach.

"It's all right, Thayer,"she said soothingly. "Just put the bar down. If you don't, you're going to get hurt. I don't want that."

Thayer looked at her like a confused child then gently lay the bar down on the floor. Dan was on him in a moment, forcing him to his knees and cuffing him. "You're under arrest for murder,"he told him. "We'll work out how many later."

Laurel ran to Kristin and both she and Sutton buried themselves in their mother's shoulders. Kristin reached forward and touched Emma's arm. Emma turned from watching Thayer being led away and smiled at her sadly.

Kristin led her three daughters away from the scene.


	30. Episode 10 Chapter 3

**Thank you again to everyone who's followed this story through to its conclusion. I hope it doesn't disappoint. I have had requests for a Season 4: It may happen but it's going to be a long way off if it does.**

* * *

**CHAPTER THREE**

They stood around the grave as the priest intoned the invocation: Emma, Sutton and Laurel standing around Kristin, with Ethan, Dan, Jordan, Mads and Char all in attendance. "We commit the body of our brother Edward to the ground. Earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust, in sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life."

Emma glanced at the gravestone waiting to be erected, her gaze resting on the last line. _Beloved Father of Sutton, Emma and Laurel._ The truth was finally out there but it had been too late. Alec, Rebecca and Ted, buried within a few feet of each other. The lying game they had started seventeen years earlier had cost them all their lives. Rebecca's estate had been enough to afford a lavish funeral. Emma and Sutton had been the only ones to attend, out of a sense of filial obligation, standing in silence as the coffin had been lowered into the ground, the richest and loneliest in the cemetery.

Emma's memory returned to the present, the funeral of her father. The priest offered the tray of earth to Kristin, who threw a few grains onto the coffin. "Rest in peace, Ted,"she said quietly, a single tear rolling down her cheek before she walked away. Her daughters copied her motion, adding their own handfuls to hers.

Emma and Sutton walked over to where Ethan and Dan were waiting, allowing their boyfriends to give them comforting hugs. "How are you holding up?"Dan asked.

Sutton sighed. "We're getting there."

"Have you heard what's happening to Thayer?"Emma asked.

"He's still undergoing psychological assessment,"Dan explained.

"Do you think he'll be fit to stand trial?" Dan could only offer a shrug in response. Emma sighed. "I know that he killed Theresa and Derek and did so many bad things but…when I think about it…I just feel sorry for him."

Ethan put his arm around her and kissed her on the side of the head. "That's because you're a good person."

Laurel was standing on her own a few yards from the grave. Char came to stand with her. "Anything you want to talk about?"

"Apart from my dad being dead and the last year of my life being a complete lie? Turns out my boyfriend was only going out with me because Rebecca told him to."

"My boyfriend was only going out with me because Alec told him to,"Char said helpfully.

Laurel gave a hollow laugh. "Right, yeah. We make a great pair." She noticed Char's face. "I think Derek did really like you, you know. In the end. I think Thayer kind of liked me too. I could tell in the way he was around me. I hope so anyway. Be nice if something was real."

Char looked at her awkwardly. "Do you think…do you think we could pretend that we're cousins as well?"

Laurel smiled and linked arms with her. "Guess we need all the family we can find."

"Laurel?" Kristin had come up behind them. "There's something we need to talk about back at the house. You need to come too, Char." She looked at where Jordan and Mads were walking past. "And you, Mads."

* * *

Emma, Ethan, Sutton, Laurel, Char, Mads and Jordan were scattered around the living area. Kristin sat facing them. "It's taken the solicitors quite a while to sort out what's going to happen to Alec and Rebecca's estates. But it's finally been determined that with them both dead and Thayer facing charges, the Rybak house is to be split equally between Mads and Char."

Char was bewildered. "Me? Why me?"

"You're Rebecca's closest legal blood relative."

"But what about Emma and Sutton? And Jordan?"

"Jordan wasn't a blood relative. And legally, she was never Emma and Sutton's mother."

Char looked contrite. "I'm sorry."

"Hey, you're welcome to anything of hers, I don't want it,"Jordan answered. He put his arms round Mads. "Anyway, I got everything I wanted out of this."

"She was more your family than ours,"Sutton added. "Our family was here."

"Speaking of which,"Kristin continued,"since Ted and I never divorced, the flat he leased has passed to me."

"Are you going to give it up?"Laurel asked.

"I thought about it,"Kristin confirmed,"but if you don't mind moving back here, then I wondered if maybe Emma and Ethan would like to have it?"

Laurel nodded. "Fine by me."

Emma was still recovering the power of speech. "Us?"

"Well, you'll need a place of your own when you get married,"Kristin pointed out. "But it's up you."

Emma glanced round at Ethan. "What do you think?"

Ethan smiled. "I think Dan will be glad to have some privacy at the trailer."

Sutton did her best not to blush.

* * *

Emma zipped up the suitcase and stopped to look around what she supposed would soon be Laurel's room again. It wasn't the first house she'd moved out of but it was the first one that seemed like home. And yet, it was also the first time that she actually had somewhere to move on to. A future.

Sutton entered the room. "Going to be rid of you soon then?"

Emma smiled at her. "I'm not going that far. You'll still see me around."

"Good." Sutton seemed to sag suddenly and she sat down on the bed. "Ironic, isn't it? We first teamed up to find our birth parents. And now they're both dead."

Emma sat down next to her. "I think we found a family anyway."

"We did,"Sutton agreed. "And we found each other. And we found love." She saw Emma's surprised look and pointed a warning finger at her. "Do not say anything."

Emma put an arm round her and rested her head on her shoulder. "We might have lost some people but I think we're lucky with who we've got left."

Sutton awkwardly returned the gesture. It felt good. "Me too."

* * *

**The End of The Lying Game Season 3**

**All opinions welcome!**


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